Portuguese Sweet Bread

[buzzard]

Portuguese Sweet Bread

Makes 4 loaves

2 Packages active dry yeast
1/2 Cup warm potato water
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Cup mashed potatoes
1/8 Tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 Cup milk
2 Teaspoons salt
6 eggs
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup butter OR margarine
8 Cups flour -- (8 to 10)

Dissolve yeast in potato water. Stir in the 3 tablespoons sugar, potatoes and ginger. Cover; let rise until doubled. Scald milk. add salt and cool to lukewarm. In small bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs; and gradually beat in the 1 3/4 cups sugar.

Stir into yeast mixture. Add butter and mix well.

Stir in 2 cups of the flour, then the milk. Add 2 more cups of the flour; beat 5 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Place on lightly floured board and knead in remaining flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 - 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl. turning to grease top of dough.

Cover; let rise until dough is doubled.

Grease four 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pans.

Punch down dough and on a lightly floured board, divide into fourths. Shape each fourth into a loaf; place in prepared pans. Cover; let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

[GRANDMA COW]

this sounds good but I never could get the yeast to work right and my breads always end up as pucks as Hb would put it. Mom and grandma C.would try and try to teach me and it just didnt work.

[lilithb]

MH, does this have a sweet taste to it? I would love to try my hand at it. I think my aunt would love this.

[buzzard]

Little bit of a sweet taste, not real sweet like date bread is or something like that. Has the texture of moist "fluffy" (can't think of a better description) regular bread.