Pao Doce (Portuguese Sweet Bread) Recipe
Pao Doce is a lightly sweet Portuguese yeast bread enriched with milk, eggs, and butter. In this recipe you boil and mash potato for extra softness, then wake up the yeast in warm milk and mix a tender dough. After two rises, you bake it until golden and slice it while still a little warm. If you’re looking for clear steps on how to make Pao Doce and the ingredients list, it’s all below.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Method
Prep the potato
Boil the potato until tender, peel it, then mash while warm so it stays smooth. Let it cool to lukewarm.
Activate the yeast
Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and the active dry yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Mix the base
In a large bowl, combine mashed potato, salt, melted butter, eggs, and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir until well blended.
Add flour and knead
Add the flour a bit at a time. Knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is soft and only slightly tacky; adjust with small amounts of flour if needed.
First rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until noticeably puffy.
Shape and second rise
Gently deflate the dough. Shape into one loaf or small rolls and set on a baking tray. Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes.
Bake
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden on top. Rest 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Serve
Slice while warm or at room temperature. Serve plain, or with butter or jam; store leftovers in an airtight container once fully cool.