Portuguese Sweet Bread

Portuguese Sweet Bread

adapted from Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads

5 1/2 - 6 cups flour

2 packages yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 t salt

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, diluted with 1/2 cup warm water

1 t vanilla

1 t lemon juice

3 eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup raisins

1 stick butter, at room temperature

2 T sugar

Combine three cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well and add diluted milk, vanilla, and lemon. Add eggs and gently stir until combined. Add raisins. Beat in butter. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it can be gathered into a rough ball. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Place in bowl with greased fingers, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about two hours.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and allow to rest for ten minutes. Form each half into a ball and let rise for one hour. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean and dry, about one hour.