PAO DOCE (PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD)

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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -