Portuguese Sweet Bread

Every year as a child, I looked forward to two things above all at Easter. My Portuguese grandma would visit the Portuguese bakery and bring us little coconut-filled tarts (which I re-created at home last year) and sweet bread. Back then, the bakery loaves would be wrapped around hard-boiled Easter eggs for a festive touch. I didn't get that fancy, but I did find a good recipe for making sweet bread at home. Master baker Peter Reinhart can do no wrong it seems!

The loaves do tend to look frightfully dark when they emerge from the oven, with a shiny dark brown top. The dark color stems from the high sugar content of the dough; the shine comes from the egg white glaze you brush on before baking.

When my loaves emerged, I panicked. They looked even darker than the book picture and I was terrified they might be ruined. After all, I had invested two expensive bottles of citrus extracts, many eggs and most of my day to the double batch in the oven. Frantically, I cut into a loaf.... and breathed a sigh of relief. Outside, crunchy and brown. Inside, golden sweet perfection. Whew!

Happy Easter, from our family to yours.

PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD
From The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart

Sponge
1/2 cup (2.25 ounces) unbleached bread flour
1 T. (.5 ounce) granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp. (.25 ounce) instant yeast
1/2 cup (4 ounces) water, at room temperature

Dough
6 T. (3 ounces) granulated sugar
1 tsp. (.25 ounce) salt
1/4 cup (1.25 ounces) powdered milk
2 T. (1 ounce) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 T. (1 ounce) vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
1 tsp. (.17 ounce) lemon extract
1 tsp. (.17 ounce) orange extract
1 tsp. (.17 ounce) vanilla extract
3 cups (13.5 ounces) unbleached bread flour
6 T. (3 ounces) water, at room temperature

Egg Wash
1 egg, whisked with 1 tsp. water until frothy

1. Make the sponge. Stir together the flour, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Add the water and stir until mixed. Cover the howl with plastic wrap for 60-90 minutes, or until the sponge gets foamy.

2. Make the dough. Combine the sugar, salt, powdered milk, butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix with paddle attachment until smooth, then add eggs and extracts. Switch to dough hook attachment and mix in sponge and flour. Add water as needed and mix until you achieve a soft dough that is not wet or sticky. It will take at least 12 minutes, maybe more, to reach the right consistency. Oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Remove dough from bowl and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Form each piece into a boule. Place boule, seam side down, into an oiled pie plate. Mist tops with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

5. Proof at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or until dough fills the pans fully, doubling in size.

6. Gently brush the loaves with the egg wash. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with the oven rack on the middle shelf.

7. Bake the loaves for 50 to 60 minutes (mine were done at 50). After 30 minutes, rotate 180 degrees. Because of the high amount of sugar, the dough will brown very quickly, but it will not be done. The final color will be a rich mahogany brown.

8. Remove the bread from the pie pans and place on a rack to cool. The bread will soften as it cools, resulting in a very soft, squishy loaf. Allow the bread to cool for at least 90 minutes before slicing or serving.

Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

Traditionally in my family, Easter is preceded by hard-boiling the heck out of several dozen eggs, then dipping them in pungent vinegar solutions with funky wire devices. After the egg hunt is over, we spend several days eating pink- and blue-tinged egg salad for lunch, and snacking on deviled eggs. Very old-school, I know, but aren’t the best parts of all holidays old-school?

Just this week, I did some online research and finally figured out the secret to perfect hard-boiled eggs. I made a batch this way and the yolk came out bright yellow, no greenish grey ring around the yolk! The shell also peeled away perfectly, no tearing (although I know that this also has to do with the age of the egg, the older the better, for hard-boiling at least). I can’t believe the method is so simple. Just make sure to use small to medium eggs; if you use large eggs, the yolk may not cook hard enough for your liking. Here it is:

1) Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Do not salt the water. Bring the water to a boil.

2) Boil for 3 minutes.

3) Cover your saucepan with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to rest for 8 minutes.

4) Drain the hot water off and fill the saucepan with cold water to cool the eggs.

5) Eat eggs right away or refrigerate.

Portuguese Coconut Tarts

When I was a little girl, my Portuguese grandma (who came to the US from the Azore Islands when she was young) would always bring two traditional foods to our Easter celebration: Portuguese sweet bread and little coconut tarts. I adored both of them. Portuguese sweet bread is easily found, but I haven't been able to find those tarts until I did an internet search for the recipe, determined to replicate them at home this year. (My grandma bought them at a Portuguese bakery.)

I did indeed find a recipe and made them yesterday, and my family all agreed they were just like the ones my grandma used to bring. They aren't hard to make since there is no crust to mess with, and if you like coconut, you will love these! The top is like a coconut macaroon; underneath, you will find coconut bathed a smooth, rich custard.

Pasteis de Coco

(Portuguese Coconut Tarts)

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Adjust the rack to middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with 10 paper cupcake liners.

2. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of the milk. Set aside.

3. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade shred the coconut flakes for 30 seconds.

4. In a large mixing bowl, stir the eggs and sugar together with a wooden spoon. One by one, add the cornstarch mixture, remaining milk, coconut, melted butter and lemon extract, stirring well after each addition.

5. Ladle the custard into the paper cups, filling to 1/4 inch from the top. (Note: Make sure to stir frequently to keep the coconut well distributed.)

6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the coconut is nicely toasted. Cool completely in the tin before serving. Very nice served chilled.