Portuguese Sweet Bread

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

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This recipe makes 40 Slice servings

Nutritional Info
Per serving, about:	-
cal	220220 cal
protein	4 g4g protein
total fat	7 g7g total fat
carb	36 g36g carb

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From multicultural Toronto, colourful loaves decorated with candied fruit are a buffet centrepiece showstopper. You can bake the loaves in the shape of either a festive ring or braid.

Ingredients

2 cups finely chopped, mixed candied fruit 2 2cups cupsfinely chopped, mixed candied fruit
1 cup raisins , seedless1 1cup cupraisinraisins, seedless
1/2 cup port 1/2 1/2cup cupport
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind 2 2tsp tspfinely grated lemon rind
2 tsp finely grated orange rind 2 2tsp tspfinely grated orange rind
2 pkg active dry yeast 2 2pkg pkgactive dry yeast
3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 3/4cup cupgranulated sugar
3/4 cup water , lukewarm3/4 3/4cup cupwater, lukewarm
7 cups all purpose flour 7 7cups cupsall purpose flour
3/4 cup butter , softened3/4 3/4cup cupbutter, softened
1 tsp salt 1 1tsp tspsalt
4 eggs 4 4eggeggs
2/3 cup milk , lukewarm2/3 2/3cup cupmilk, lukewarm
1 cup toasted and chopped almonds 1 1cup cuptoasted and chopped almondalmonds or walnuts
2 tbsp butter , melted2 2tbsp tbspbutter, melted
Topping
1 lightly beaten egg 1 1lightly beaten eggeggs
2/3 cup halved candied cherries 2/3 2/3cup cuphalved candied cherrycandied cherries
3 tbsp corn syrup 3 3tbsp tbspcorn syrup

Preparation

In small bowl, mix together candied fruit, raisins, port and lemon and orange rinds; cover and set aside, stirring occasionally.

In bowl, whisk together yeast, 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the sugar, the water and 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place for 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

In large bowl, beat together butter, salt and remaining sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour; beat in milk.

Stir down yeast mixture; beat into egg mixture until blended. With wooden spoon, mix in fruit mixture and nuts. Stir in as much of the remaining flour, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, as needed to make soft sticky dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently for 2 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup (125 mL) more flour if needed. Transfer to large greased bowl; brush top with butter. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free spot for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough; divide in half. Knead each on lightly floured surface for 1 minute. Shape each into ball; place on parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet. With 2 fingers, poke hole in centre of each; gently stretch hole to 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) to make about 9-inch (23 cm) ring. Grease outside of 2 empty 19-oz (540 mL) cans; place can in centre of each ring.

Topping: Brush dough with egg. Decoratively arrange cherries over top, pressing into dough. Cover lightly and let rise in warm draft-free spot for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Bake loaves in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Transfer to rack and let cool. (Loaves can be wrapped and frozen in rigid container for up to 2 weeks; thaw and reheat in 350°F /180°C oven for 10 minutes.) Brush corn syrup over loaves.

Additional information :

Variation:
Braided Portuguese Sweet Bread: Divide dough in half; divide each into thirds. On lightly floured surface, roll out each third into strip about 16 inches (40 cm) long. Place 3 strips side by side on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Press together at 1 end; braid strips together. Brush half of the egg all over leaf. Place half of the cherries decoratively in crevices. Repeat to make second braid. Let rise and bake as directed.