Mind boggling it may be, but Easter is early again this year. It’s Sunday. Yes, this coming Sunday, actually. Which, when you dare think about it, leaves practically no time at all to explore possibilities for something new and different to take to the table for Easter breakfast or brunch.
Unless, of course, you get your hands on an absolutely perfect-for-the-occasion recipe right this very minute. And that’s exactly what two Whidbey Island cooks are about to provide us.
Responding to a recent request from Terry Fournier for a Portuguese bread, both Janet Farler of Oak Harbor and Rosemary Barrett of Freeland have sent along sweet versions of this ethnic delight, either of which should be just the ticket.
Janet shares a bread machine recipe taken from “Breads From Around the World,” which describes the loaf as an “eggy, light-textured sweet bread, flavored with vanilla, lemon and nutmeg. It used to be eaten as an Easter bread in Portugal, but now is eaten as a breakfast bread year-round.” Janet mentions, “I haven’t tried this, though it sounds good. I have had good results with many of the book’s other recipes.”
And Rosemary gives us a conventional recipe and tells us, “I thought I would try it before sending you the recipe. I baked two round loaves and shared one with a friend. It is absolutely delicious, and I will make it again. However, I must say, the first rise took four hours, so one needs to plan ahead. Next time, I’ll put it together in the evening and let it rise overnight.”
Like the Irish soda bread Rosemary already shared with us, this recipes comes from “The Fannie Farmer Baking Book.” And, just like the soda bread, this sweet bread makes wonderful toast. The recipe notes, and as Rosemary confirms, “Doughs such as this, which are rich with butter, eggs and sugar, are slow and sullen in rising, though the addition of the potato puree and its water gives the yeast a boost which hastens the rises. But still expect the first rise to take several hours.”
So, we have here a dandy Easter bread, by machine or by hand. For a 1-pound loaf, use the first measurement given for each ingredient. For a 11/2-pound loaf, use the measurements in parentheses:
Bread machine Portuguese sweet bread
2 (3) eggs
1/3 (1/2)cup milk
2 (3) tablespoons butter
3 (4-1/2)tablespoons sugar
1/2 (3/4) teaspoon salt
1 (1-1/2) teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) grated lemon peel
1/2 (3/4) teaspoon nutmeg
2 (3) cups bread flour
1-1/2 (2-1/4) teaspoons yeast
Turn ingredients into bread pan in order suggested by bread machine instructions. Set for white or sweet bread, light crust. Press start. Makes one loaf.
Portuguese sweet bread
1 cup boiling water
1 potato, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup (1 cube) butter
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk
6-7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Have 1 cup water boiling in a small saucepan. Add the potato, cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until tender. While the potato is cooking, put the 1/2 cup warm water in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve.
Put the cooked potato and liquid into a bowl or food processor or blender. Add butter and either process or blend until smooth. The puree will look like heavy cream. While the puree is warm — but not hot — add it to the dissolved yeast. Add salt and sugar and stir to blend. In a small bowl, stir eggs until they are well mixed. Remove 2 tablespoons of the egg, mix with 1 tablespoon water and reserve to use as a glaze. Add the remaining eggs, lemon zest and dry milk to the yeast mixture and mix well. Stir in 4 cups of the flour and beat vigorously. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a manageable dough. This dough is soft and pliable.
If mixing by hand, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute and let rest for 10 minutes. Resume kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
If kneading in the electric mixer, put the dough into the mixing bowl, and with the dough hook, knead for 4 or 5 minutes.
Put dough in a greased bowl, turn to grease all over, cover, and put in a warm spot to rise until double in bulk.
Punch down the dough and form into a round loaf. Or divide in half and make two smaller round loaves. Cover and let rise until double in bulk again. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the egg glaze over the top of the dough. Let the larger loaf bake from 40 to 50 minutes, the smaller loaves 35 to 45, or until golden. Remove from the oven and pans and cool on racks. Makes one large 9-inch round loaf or two small rounds.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Time Out section.
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