Made this recipe for my husband this weekend on the Dough cycle of my
breadmachine even though it wasn't a bread machine recipe. This is a
recipe I had that I must have gotten off the internet many years ago. The
original recipe called for 5 1/2 to 6 cups flour but I reduced the recipe
to make 2/3 of it so I could use the bread machine.
The original recipe called for 1/4 cup water to dissolve the yeast (3 Tbsp
when I reduced the recipe) but because I was using the breadmachine I
didn't use water but instead just added 3 Tbsp extra milk. The original
recipe called for 2 tsp cinnamon but my husband didn't want me to add this
because he said the Portuguese bread sold in Boston was just plain sweet
bread so I didn't add it. I have several Portuguese Bread recipes that
call for lemon and orange zest or cinnamon and I personally think this
would make the bread taste better, but I have a picky husband.
I didn't read the instructions and thought I hadn't added the correct
amound of yeast because it rose very slowly and I had to let it rise quite
a long time. Now that I am typing the recipe I notice you have to let it
rise for 2 to 3 hours. But in the end, especially after I put it in the
oven it rose quite high. It rose beautifully to about 4 1/2 to 5 inches
high and was quite good for a plain sweet bread. I will definitely make it
again. I decorated the bread with a braid on top (saw this on foodtv the
other day) and after it was baked the bread looked beautiful. Everyone was
impressed. I also am noticing while typing the recipe that the recipe
called for 3 eggs in the dough and 1 for the egg wash but I added 3 eggs to
my dough when I reduced it.
I have included the original recipe after the reduced in size recipe.
Masa Sovada (Portuguese Sweetbread)
2/3 cup + 3 Tbsp warm milk
2/3 cup sugar (next time will add up to an extra 1/4 cup)
5 Tbsp + 1 tsp butter (softened
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature
4 cups bread flour
2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast
Add all the ingredients in the order listed to the bread pan of your bread
machine and process on Dough cycle. After about 10 minutes, check the
dough consistency and add milk or flour, as necessary, to obtain a smooth
round ball.
After the Dough cycle is complete, let rise and extra 1 to 2 hours, until
doubled in bulk. When dough has doubled, remove from bread pan and roll
into a ball and let rest 10 minutes, covered on a buttered board or work
surface. After 10 minutes, cut a small piece of dough to use to make a
braid to decorate. Roll the remaining dough into a smooth ball and place
on a buttered round cake pan, pressing it down with your hands to cover the
bottom of the pan. I used an 8 inch springform pan. Take the piece of
dough that you cut off and divide into 2 pieces and using your hands roll
into long, thin ropes of equal length that will go around the dough about 1
inch from the edge and place them side by side. Pinch one of the ends
together and braid the pieces of dough. Take some egg white wash and brush
about 1 inch from the edge of the dough and place the braid on top of the
egg wash and press down a little and pinch the 2 ends together. Cover and
let rise 2 to 3 hours. Brush the dough with egg wash (I brushed the dough
with egg yolk mixed with a little cream) and bake at 350 F for 20 to 30
minutes or until golden brown. (I had to cover the top with aluminum foil
because the top had browned quite a bit after 20 minutes and the bread was
still not done to 195 to 210 F. I was baking at 375 F. Next time I will
bake at 350 F and check after 12 to 15 minutes so that it doesn't brown the
top so much) . The bread rose and extra 2 inches while in the oven. Cool
on wire racks.
Original recipe:
Masa Sovada (Portuguese Sweetbread)
1/4 cup water (warm for dry yeast, lukewarm for compressed)
1 cup scalded milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
5 1/2 to 6 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs
2 pkt yeast (active dry or compressed)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Scald milk and add
to sugar, butter and salt. Stir until butter is melted. Mix cinnamon and
flour. Add half of the flour to the milk/sugar/butter/salt, and mix until
smooth. Beat 3 eggs and add them and the yeast to the mixture. Continue
to add remaining flour to make soft dough. Remove it from the bowl and
place on floured board. Knead until smooth and satiny (about 15
minutes). Shape into a ball and place in buttered bowl. Cover and let
rise until double in size (2 1/2 to 3 hours). Punch risen dough down and
divide it in half. Place in two greased pans (8 inches round). Let rise
in warm place until doubled in size (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Brush tops of
dough with remaining egg (beaten). Bake at 350 F oven for 20 to 30 minutes
or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Finally, as I menioned to whose who have gotten this recipe already, this
bread makes the best toast in the world! Personal opinion, of course.
And yes, it did make great toast this morning.
Rosemary