Nancy's Authentic Portuguese Sweet Bread Recipe: Massa Sovada

Get the sweet bread pans here.

1. Place the milk in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Next add the butter and the shortening to the milk.
3. Now add the sugar, the 1 tablespoon of salt, and the zest of one lemon.
4. Heat the pan at a medium to low heat, stir well, bring to a boil, give it a good stir and set it aside to cool.
5. After 1 hour and 30 minutes, in a medium sized bowl, add the 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the 3 tablespoons of active dry yeast and the one cup of warm water, give it a good stir an set it aside.
6. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or by hand, add the 15 eggs and whisk at high speed for about 1 minute.
7. Now add the cooled milk mixture to the eggs and whisk for about 1 minute.
8. In a large bowl, add the whisked milk, egg mixture.
9. Next add the foamy yeast to it, and using your hands, stir well.
10. Add the flour to the bowl, and mix very well until liquid and flour are well incorporated and you have a sticky dough.
11. Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes.
12. Now cover the bowl and place it in a warm place for 20 minutes.
13. Next pour half of the vegetable oil around the edges of the dough around the bowl.
14. Fold the dough about 4 times all around from the sides into the center of the bowl.
15. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm place for another 20 minutes.
16. After 20 minutes, pour the rest of the vegetable oil around the edges and fold again for 4 times all around.
17. Cover the bowl once again and let it rise in a warm place for 6 to 8 hours until it triples in size.
18. Grease the 6 sweet bread pans with the 6 teaspoons of vegetable shortening (1 for each pan).
19. Next divide the dough evenly between all 6 pans.
20. Cover the pans once more and let it sit for about 3 hours in a warm place until the dough rises to almost the top of the pans.
21. Preheat the oven to 305°F or 150°C.
22. Witch a scissors, make some cuts at the top of all the loaves.
23. In a small container, beat the 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water.
24. Brush the top of the loaves with the egg wash using a brush.
25. Bake for 1 hour (at the 55 minute mark, place a knife into a loaf and if it comes out clean, it's done.

This recipe makes 6 loaves.

Adapted from a Recipe by: DIYwithnancyg