Portuguese Sweet Bread

Name: Portuguese Sweet Bread
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons active dry yeast; 1/4 cup warm water (between 105º F and 115º F); 1 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled); 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon salt; 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 egg for brushing on the dough; 1 teaspoon sugar for topping

by In Good Flavor

10 Servings

3 hr 30 min

Portuguese sweet bread is one of my family’s favorite breads. It is slightly sweet and tender. And it has a beautiful, soft mahogany crust. Freshly baked ones from Portuguese bakeries are out of this world!

I don’t live near Portuguese bakeries. Learning how to make homemade sweet bread was on my must-try list. I adapted a recipe and made it my own years ago, and I’m excited to share it with you today. I’ll tell ya, they are just as good as the pros’.

At my house, we smear softened butter on wedges of sweet bread to serve with meals or for snacking any time of the day. But, oh my gosh! It's fantastic as a simple breakfast! Just cut into thick slices, brush with softened butter, and cook in a skillet on medium heat on both sides until lightly browned. It is so good that you will want seconds!

The original blog post can be found at In Good Flavor.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

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Recipe details

Yield 10 Servings
Time spent: Prep time: 3 Hours Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 3 hr 30 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Instructions

Add yeast and water to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Let it stand for about 5 minutes. It should look bubbly and foamy.
Add milk, sugar, butter, and 3 eggs to the bowl. Blend until ingredients are incorporated. Add salt and 3 cups of the flour and beat until smooth. Slowly add 2 1/2 cups more flour and beat for about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate ingredients. If the batter seems wet, slowly add enough of the remaining flour until the dough begins to firm up and clump around the paddle. Continue beating for a couple of minutes.
Change to the hook attachment and continue beating at medium-high. The dough should quickly start to ball up around the hook. Beat for 5 to 6 minutes total with the hook attachment. At the end of this period, the majority of the dough should be wrapped around the hook. It should be smooth and silky yet slightly tacky. It should also be slightly elastic and spring back a bit when stretched. There may be some dough smeared against the sides of the bowl.
Using a rubber spatula or lightly greased hands, scrape the dough and form it into a ball. Place into a greased bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and a towel. Place in a warm area…such as under a light…to rise until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).
Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Shape each into a round flat loaf and place each into buttered and floured round 8-inch pans. Cover loosely with lightly floured tea towels. Allow to rise and double in size, about 1 hour. Beat 1 egg and brush the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with sugar.
Place in a preheated 350° F oven and bake for about 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is medium to dark amber (mine is done at the lower end of the time frame). Test for doneness using a long wooden skewer (done when a few crumbs stick to the skewer), or check for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Overbaking will dry out the bread. Unmold once removed from the oven. Serve with butter.

Tips

The prep time given in the Recipe Info section is for 2 1/2 hours proofing time and 25 minutes of active prep time.
For a softer crust, rub with butter while still hot out of the oven.

Comments

Nicole P on Mar 02, 2021

This looks so good!

Like Reply
- In Good Flavor on Mar 02, 2021
  
  Thank you so much Nicole! I’m so glad you like it!
  
  Like
Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA on Mar 03, 2021

This sounds heavenly! Pinned so I don't forget. Spring events are coming up, this will be perfect. Thanks for sharing!

Like Reply
- In Good Flavor on May 27, 2021
  
  My apologies!! I missed your comment. I hope you’ll get a chance to try this bread out!!
  
  Like

4 of 16 comments

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