Years ago, when my teenz were tatertots, stumbling around the kitchen and getting underfoot, I had a book that was geared towards children and adults, that had all sorts of thrifty kitchen ideas - how to make your own mayonaisse, copy and make expensive grocery store items, how to grow, can and freeze your own vegetables... you name it. It was the most amazing book, and I have NO CLUE what it was called.
And I've either managed to lose it in the umpteen moves we've had over the past 15 years, or I sold it at a garage sale, thinking we'd outgrown it.
Oh, how wrong I was! And oh! how I miss that book.
Every few months, I'll think to myself, 'I'll just consult that book to find out how to make copycat A-1 sauce, or compost, or make playdough, or shish-kababs, or whatever...' Then I'll remember that I no longer have the book. I frantically tear through all my belongings thinking maybe, maybe, I've just misplaced it. No such luck.
With my heart breaking, I'll consult my pal 'google' only to find a gazillion suggests for how to make homemade ranch dressing or what to do with all those cloth diapers now that the teenz don't need them anymore.
At the end of this priceless, nameless book, was a (true) short story about a child (I can't remember if it was a boy or a girl). This no-sex, no-name child would make loaves and loaves of this bread because it was SO easy. And every day, this (now) anony-mouse child would go door to door throughout his neighborhood, selling the bread he made. And the kid made quite a killing.
*That's* how good this bread is. A child can make it, and the neighbors will pay decent money to eat it. When I think about this bread, I literally drool. It is sweet and soft and airy and delicious warmed up or toasted and slathered in butter or jam or both! Or eaten just as is, the doughy bewitching goodness actually melts on your tongue. Yes, *that's* how good this bread is.
In all my rummaging recently, I managed to find a piece of printer paper, folded in half with ingredients listed on it, and the words, "Portuguese (Sweet)
'I can do this!' I thought to myself. I mean really, how hard can it be to figure out how to make a loaf of bread.
And after several naughty, misguided attempts, I think I have come as close to the remembered recipe as possible.
I’ve been really sick and unable to eat for the past day or so, and all of a sudden, it hit me: I need homemade Portuguese Sweet
And now... what are you waiting for? Get baking! Fresh, homemade bread is one of the most universal comfort foods in the world! Enjoy!
Portuguese (Sweet) (1 loaf)
All ingredients should be at room temperature when you start:
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons yeast
Prep the oven to proof (rise) the dough:
Remove the upper shelf from your oven.
Place a shallow pan (such as a 9x13 pan) on the bottom shelf in the lowest setting inside your oven.
Turn the oven onto ‘warm’ or the lowest possible setting.
When water is warm, turn the oven off and leave door cracked open.
Gather your ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon salt
3 ¼ cups bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons yeast
Gather your materials:
1 mixer with large bowl
Wire whisk attachment
Dough hook attachment
Mixer shield
Glass measuring cup (at least a 2 cups size) or small saucepan.
Spoon for stirring liquid
Firm spatula or pot/bowl scraper
Measuring cups and spoon
Small bowl for eggs
Fork or wire whisk
Extra large bowl or pot for proofing the dough
Cast iron skillet or dutch oven
Prep your materials:
Using a stick of butter, generously grease both the cast iron skillet or Dutch oven and the extra large bowl or pot for proofing the dough.
Prepare the dough:
Pour milk into the glass measuring cup.
Add the butter.
Add the sugar.
Set aside.
In mixer bowl, combine flour, salt and yeast.
Place the mixer bowl on the stand and lock into place.
Attach whisk attachment to mixer.
Whisk the dry ingredients for 1-2 minutes.
This does two things: first, it combines the dry ingredients,
Remove the whisk attachment.
Attach the dough hook.
Add the mixer shield.
Set aside.
Crack both eggs into small bowl.
Whisk with fork or wire whisk until combined (not smooth).
Set aside.
Place glass measuring cup with the wet ingredients into microwave.
Heat for 30 seconds.
Using a fork or wire whisk, stir to combine ingredients and distribute heat evenly.
Heat for 30 more seconds.
Stir again.
Continue doing this until the butter is completely melted.
(Alternatively, you can heat these items on very low heat on your oven in a small saucepan).
Turn the mixer on low to medium-low speed
Add the warm liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl very slowly (a slight, steady stream) using the mixer shield spout.
Continue mixing for 1-2 minutes.
Add eggs using the mixer shield spout.
Adjust the mixer speed to medium to medium-high.
Allow the mixer to ‘knead’ the dough for ten minutes.
Remove the bowl from the stand.
Using your pot scraper or firm spatula and working in a circular, rotating movement, peel the dough away from the edges of the mixer bowl.
Turn the bowl upside down over your extra large pot or bowl.
Allow the dough to ‘drop’ into the extra large pot or bowl.
(You may need to help it along a bit by scraping at the sides with your firm spatula or pot scraper.)
First rise:
Once the dough is settled into the extra large pot or bowl, rotate the dough so that the top side is now on the bottom, greasing the entire lump of dough.
Place the extra large pot or bowl on top of the warm water in the oven.
Let rise until the dough has doubled or tripled its size.
Remove it from the oven.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured flat surface.
Punch the dough once.
Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
Second Rise:
While the dough is resting, re-grease your extra large pot or bowl.
Shape the dough into a loose ball.
Place the dough back into the oven on top of the warm water (if necessary, re-heat the water.)
Let rise until doubled or tripled its size.
Remove the dough from the oven.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured flat surface.
Punch the dough once.
Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 350°.
Place the greased cast iron skillet or Dutch oven into your oven for 5-10 minutes, until toasty warm.
Shape the dough into a loose ball.
Place the dough into the center of your cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, with the ‘rough’ side down and ‘smooth’ side up.
- Darker crust will yield a firmer, harder, crunchier crust.
- Lighter crust will yield a softer more pliable crust.
The bread is done when:
- a large wooden skewer placed into the center of the bread comes out clean, OR
- the bread sounds hollow when thumped.
*Approximately 5 minutes before removing the bread from the oven, brush with softened or melted butter, if desired.
Set and cool the bread:
After removing the bread from the oven, let it rest inside the cast iron skillet or Dutch oven for 5 minutes.
Transfer the bread to a cooling board or rack and let sit for at least 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy your homemade bread:
Serve warm with jam, butter, or your favorite topping.
It’s also great toasted, too!
Tips for making two loaves:
You can double this recipe:
- freeze half of the dough after the first rise**, or
- freeze a loaf after cooling completely and cutting into slices for a quick snack.
**If you choose to freeze the dough:
- simply grease an extra large pot or bowl, place dough in the prepped oven (see above)
- let rise until doubled or tripled
- follow directions from the ‘second rise’ on.
