Sweet Bread Pao Doce Recipes

Steps:

• First make a sponge: Crumble the saffron strands into the water and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and 1 cup of the flour in a large warm bowl, pressing out all lumps. Pour in 2/3 cup of the saffron mixture, whisking all the while until smooth. Cover with a dry cloth and set in a warm, draft-free spot until spongy, light, and doubled in bulk -- about 30 minutes.
• As soon as the sponge has risen, stir it down, then beat in the remaining sugar, saffron mixture, the butter, and the egg. Now, one by one, beat in the egg yolks. Finally, add the remaining flour, a cup at a time -- the dough will be too soft and sticky to knead at this point. Transfer it to a large, warm, well buttered bowl, butter your hands, then pat the top of the dough gently all over so that it is nicely buttered, too. Cover with a dry cloth, set in a warm, draft-free spot, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk -- 45 to 50 minutes.
• Toward the end of the rising period, preheat the oven to hot (425F.). When the dough has risen impressively, punch it down well and divide in half. Knead each piece of dough 35 to 40 times on a lightly floured pastry cloth, shape into a ball, and place in a well-buttered 7-inch charlotte mold or deep metal pan (use 1-pound coffee tins if necessary). Cover the loaves with a dry cloth, set in a warm, draft-free spot, and again let rise until doubled in bulk -- about 20 minutes.
• Bake the loaves on the middle oven rack, positioned so that they do not touch the oven walls or each other, about 25 minutes or until the loaves are puffed, richly browned, and sound hollow when thumped. Turn the loaves out onto wire racks to cool and do not cut before they have reached room temperature. Note: Because these loaves are so light and spongy, use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle seesaw motion when slicing them.
• To mix the dough in a food processor: Hand-mix the sponge as directed, then let it rise until doubled in bulk. Scrape the sponge into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Add the remaining sugar, saffron mixture, the butter, egg, and egg yolks, and mix by snapping the motor on and off 8 to 10 times. Now mix in the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, by snapping the motor on and off 8 to 10 times. Once all the flour is incorporated, machine-knead the dough by churning 30 to 40 seconds nonstop until the dough rolls into a ball and rides up on the central spindle. Turn the dough into a warm, greased bowl for the first rising, and proceed as the recipe directs.
• Makes two 7-inch round loaves

Steps:

• 1. Heat milk, but do not scald. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Stir in the sugar and salt. Set aside to allow milk to cool.
• 2. Meanwhile, make yeast starter by mixing the packages of yeast with the warm water and sugar. Stir yeast until dissolved and let it rest until you see bubbles activating.
• 3. Beat 4 eggs for a few minutes, then add beaten eggs to the milk in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the milk along with the whiskey or lemon zest (if using), and beat for 2 minutes.
• 4. Begin adding the flour, 1 cup at a time, until it's all incorporated. Use your dough hooks or your hands to knead for about 10 minutes. The batter should be very silky and smooth but not sticky. Add more flour if you find the dough sticky.
• 5. Remove dough from mixer, place on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and soft. Place the dough into a large floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled.
• 6. After the dough has doubled, punch it down (to deflate its volume). Divide dough in half, and place both halves on a floured surface. Form dough into two round loaves, and place loaves on a large greased baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets). Or form dough into about 24 rolls, and place rolls about 1 inch apart in a lightly greased baking pan. Set baking pan(s) aside to let the dough rise for another hour (or place in a slightly warm oven for about 20 minutes or until almost double).
• 7. Preheat oven to 325°F.
• 8. Beat one egg with 1 Tbsp milk. Brush tops of the bread with the egg wash, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 300°F, and bake another 30 minutes or until the bread has a golden caramel color. NOTE: rolls bake in less time, approximately 45 minutes.)

Steps:

• 1. Dissolve yeast in potato water. Stir in 3 Tbsp sugar, potatoes and ginger. Cover, let rise till it doubles in size.
• 2. Scald milk, add salt and cool to lukewarm.
• 3. In a small mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat eggs, gradually beat in 1 3/4 cup of sugar. Stir into yeast mixture.
• 4. Add butter and mix well. Stir in 2 cups of flour, then milk. Add 2 more cups of flour, beat for 5 minutes. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
• 5. Place on lightly floured surface, knead the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes
• 6. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise till double it's size.
• 7. Grease 4 - 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans.
• 8. On a lightly flour surface divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each dough into the loaf pans. Cover, let rise till doubled.
• 9. Preheat electric oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Steps:

• Boil potato until soft. Save 1/4 cup of the water the potato was boiled in and cool to lukewarm.
• Mash potato and measure out 1/2 cup.
• Add 2 Tbsp sugar and the yeast to the lukewarm potato water, stir to dissolve. Stir in mashed potato and set mixture aside to double in bulk.
• Scald milk, add salt and cool to lukewarm.
• Melt butter and cool.
• In large warm mixing bowl (rinse with hot water and dry before using), beat eggs.
• Remove 1 Tbsp of eggs to use for brushing tops of loaves.
• Gradually beat in sugar, then melted butter.
• Combine egg and yeast mixtures.
• Blend thoroughly.
• Add 1 1/3 cups of the flour and 1/4 cup milk.
• Beat until completely mixed.
• Add another 1 1/3 cups flour and beat till blended.
• (All ingredients should be in your dough now except for the last of the flour you will be kneading with.) Turn out the dough on floured board.
• Add last 1 1/3 cups flour* and knead dough till smooth and elastic, 75 to 100 times.
• Make a ball of dough, place in an oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and let rise in warm place. When double in bulk, punch down, divide dough into 2 round balls and place on 2 oiled pie pans or in oiled bread pans.
• Allow it to double in bulk (about 1 hour). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush loaves with beaten eggs.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until brown and done. They may be frozen.
• * Additional flour may have to be added to make a soft dough.
• Dough should be smooth not sticky after kneading is complete. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl.
• Stir in milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs, salt, margarine or butter, and 3 cups of flour.
• Beat until smooth.
• Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic - about 5 minutes.
• Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it is double in size - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down dough and divide in half.
• Shape each half into a round slightly flat loaf.
• Place each loaf into a well greased round 9" x 1 1/2" pan.
• Cover and let rise until double (a/b an hour).
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat 1 egg and brush over tops of loaves.
• Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• Bake until loaves are golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.