Portuguesen Easter Bread Dutch Boys Recipes

Steps:

• Scald milk, stir in butter, sugar, salt. Cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast onto warm water in large, warm bowl; stir until dissolved and add lukewarm milk mixture and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly-floured board, knead until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top and sides, then cover. Let rise in warm place, free of draft, until double in size. Punch dough down, turn out onto lightly-floured board. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Keep pieces of dough covered until ready for shaping. Shape one piece into a 5" oblong roll. Place a raw, small egg (with shell) on dough, a little above center. Pretend the egg is the center of a clock, cut slits at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 o'clock. Pulling dough, shape arms and legs. Put arms over and across the egg, shape a round, flat head, use raisins for eyes, mouth, and nose. Repeat with remaining pieces of sough. Place on greased baking sheets. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine remaining egg and 1 Tablespoon milk and brush over dough boys. Bake 20 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. If you wish to color eggs, do so after baking - remove any oily film from eggs with a cotton swab and vinegar. Brush liquid food color on eggs.

Steps:

• Combine the milk, salt and lard in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the yeast, 1 cup of the flour, and 1/2 cup warm water and set aside.
• In a large bowl, with a whisk, combine the eggs, sugar and lemon zest and mix thoroughly.
• Add the milk mixture, yeast mixture and remaining flour and thoroughly combine.
• Set aside to rise, kneading 6 times every half hour.
• The bread will take 6 hours to rise.
• Prepare 5 round loaf pans with butter or lard.
• Divide the batter among the pans - each pan should be half full.
• Press the dough evenly in the pan and let it rise again until it reaches the top of the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the loaves with beaten egg.
• Bake for about 1 hour, until golden brown.