Portuguese Sweet Bread

By JAmero4702

Ingredients

• For top of bread:
• 2 1/2 Cups Milk
• 1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter
• 2 Tbs Shortening
• 2 1/2 Cups Sugar
• 6 Eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 packages dry yeast, dissolved in 1/2 Cup of lukewarm water
• 2 1/2 pounds (about 8 Cups) Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup of Milk
• Dyed Hard Boiled Eggs (Optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat Milk, Butter and Shortening until melted. Pour over sugar in large mixing bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let mixture cool. Add eggs and stir. Add yeast and blend. Dump in flour all at once. Mix until all flour is dampened. Knead for about ten minutes or until dough pulls away easily from back of hands. (Or use the dough hook of your standup mixer).

Butter or oil the inside of a nonmetallic bowl and place dough inside, turning over once so the dough is coated and won't dry out. Cover with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap, then place in a warm place, free from any drafts.

Allow to rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Repeat process for double-rising. 9Time varies, check after about an hour.)

Divide into loaves and put into greased loaf pans. Let rise for 30 minutes. Make two to three slits on top of each loaf. Brush tops with eggs whisked with milk. (If you are using the dyed ester eggs, push one into the dough about 1/2 an inch.) Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.