Portuguese Sweet Bread Yeast Sponge Final Recipe

As promised everyone here is our finalized episode for our Portuguese Sweet Bread with the Yeasted Sponge. We have gone through several batches since the Trial video to ensure that the recipe works well. The thumbnail picture is one of our practice batches. For us, this has been the chance to learn about another way of making bread that can be shared with others. Please let us know if you try this one. Take care and thank you for visiting.

Portuguese Sweet Bread July 2024
(Makes: 3 loaves or 2 loaves and a pan of rolls)

To create a pre-ferment sponge for the dough add the following to a bowl stir and mix thoroughly then cover with lid or plastic wrap:

230 grams Warm water (filtered)
18 grams Active dry yeast
140 grams Bread or Unbleached All-purpose Flour

Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rise for 60 minutes.

To make your dough:

In a bowl add the ingredients in order below, mixing after adding each addition:

165 grams Margarine or butter (unsalted) (room temperature)
175 grams White sugar
Zest of 1-2 (to taste) Lemons
½ - 1 tsp Lemon extract
10 grams Salt
6 Eggs (add 1 at a time)
(room temperature)
110 grams Milk of Choice
(room temperature)
Total Amount Yeasted pre-ferment sponge (that you created after 60 minutes)

Once the above ingredients are well mixed and if you are using a stand mixer add in:
• 705 grams Bread flour or Unbleached All-purpose flour
• Mix for another 4 minutes by allowing mixer to run for 2 minutes, turn off mixer to rest dough for 1 minute and then run mixer for the final 2 minutes.
• If you are using stand mixer then change out mixer paddle for dough hook.
• Add in the remaining 200 grams of Unbleached All-purpose flour and mix for 2 minutes more.

If adding by hand add in the total 905 grams and mix for 5-7 minutes until no dry bits remain. Dough will be very sticky, this is correct.

Once you have brought all the ingredients above together drop dough onto oiled worked surface, ensure that you have oiled your hands as well then knead for 5-7 minutes by performing a gentle slap and fold method (see YouTube video for example) until dough is smooth and elastic. Round dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside to rise for 1 hour.

Punch down and knead one more time or do a stretch and fold on dough as shown in video.

Prepare Egg Wash: Add 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water to a jar. Mix well then cover and set aside until loaves are ready to go into the oven.

While your dough is doing the final rise prepare your pans by lining with parchment paper, greasing bottom, sides and top edge with shortening since this dough is sticky to handle. This will help your bread to release easier when done.

Let dough rise for 30-60 minutes and then pre-shape the dough into final round, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Shape dough for loaf pans and let rise until just over the sides of loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush risen loaves lightly with the prepared egg wash.

Bake loaves 30-35 minutes for regular sandwich style pans or 8 x 8 pan of rolls; however, if you are using traditional round pan then bread may need to bake for 45-50 minutes depending on your oven and how browned you want it. Check bread temperature should be 195 F or above to be cooked through. Move to racks to cool.

See below notes for extra things:

After all ingredients except the flour is mixed together; you will notice that mixture looks curdled like cottage cheese, this is normal. Continue with recipe and flour.

Oil your work surface, this dough is super sticky so please oil the surface and your hands before doing the dough shaping. Keep a bench scraper handy to help with this. Slap and fold method instead of kneading, be sure to perform to help strengthen the dough.