Best Portuguese Easter Bread Recipe

Best Portuguese Easter Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. scalded milk
• 2 yeast cakes (2 pkg. dry yeast) dissolved in 1/4 c. warm water (sprinkle a little of the sugar and let stand for a few minutes)
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine
• 3 lg. eggs, beaten
• 3 raw eggs, in shells (use 1 to 3)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. lemon extract
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 5 c. flour

Method

1. Put the scalded milk in a large bowl and dissolve the butter and sugar
2. Add the yeast and the beaten eggs
3. Mix well
4. Add the flavoring, salt, sugar, spice and flour; mix well
5. Knead 15 to 20 minutes on a floured board
6. (The more you knead, the smoother the dough
7. The dough will be very soft
8. Add the flour as you knead
9. Place the dough in a buttered bowl and let rise until doubled (about 2 hours)
10. Punch down and divide into two round loaves
11. Place in two greased, Pyrex pie plates
12. On top of the loaves, press 1, 2, or 3 raw eggs in their shells into the dough
13. Pinch a strip of dough across the eggs
14. Let rise until double
15. Brush with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar
16. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes
17. Watch carefully – do not over bake
18. The eggs can be eaten and will taste like hard-boiled eggs

Full List of Portuguese Recipes
Full List of Bread Recipes