FOLAR DA PASCOA (PORTUGUESE EASTER SWEET BREAD)

Folar da Pascoa (Portuguese Easter Sweet Bread) image

This bread is savory, sweet and would be lovely on your holiday table. The eggs baked into the bread make for a pretty presentation.

Provided by Maggie May Schill

Categories Eggs

Time 3h10m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

BREAD
3-3 1/2 c bread flour
1/2 c sugar
1/4 oz pouch of active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks
2/3 c whole milk
3 Tbsp salted butter
7 large brown eggs, washed and patted dry
EGG WASH
1 large egg, beaten

Steps:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine 1 cup of your flour, salt, sugar and yeast together with fingers, set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat milk along with the 3 tablespoons of butter. Heat to 110'F, no higher!
3. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture. Stir with fingers to completely combine. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Add remaining flour, eggs and egg yolks to mixing bowl. Combine with hands, mixing for 6-7 minutes until the dough is well mixed and elastic-like. Turn the dough into a tight ball. Side note: Add a tablespoon of flour at a time if needed to get the dough where it needs to be. Do not exceed an extra 1/2 cup however.
5. Turn dough out into a large mixing bowl, greased with extra virgin olive oil. Turn dough around in bowl until the dough ball is coated in oil. Cover with a dish cloth and let rise for 1 hour.
6. After dough rises, punch it down and turn out onto a floured board or counter-top. Divide dough into two even balls. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.
7. Roll each dough ball into 24 inch ropes. Cut the last 4 inches of each rope off and set aside.
8. Twist the 20 inch dough ropes around each other into a simple braid.
9. Form the twisted braid into a ring and press to connect the ring at the seem.
10. Slip 6 of the brown eggs between the folds and put the 7th in the center of the dough ring.
11. Take the two 4 inch dough strips and form a cross over the center egg. I try and use the cross to conceal the seam in the ring.
12. Carefully move the dough ring over to a greased baking sheet and let rise a 3rd time covered for another hour.
13. Preheat an oven to 350'F Brush egg wash over dough ring and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.