Easter sweet bread

Folar do Algarve – Portugal

Ingredients

500g plain flour plus extra for knead;

2 tbsp brown sugar

20g fresh yeast

60 ml tepid milk

120g butter

60g pork lard

Zest and juice of 1 orange

30 ml aguardente or brandy

1 egg

1 tsp fennel

Salt ( a little bit)

Filling: butter, brown sugar, cinnamon e honey (optional)

Steps

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the tepid milk. Put the flour into a large bowl, or in the mixer machine bowl, make a well in the centre and add the fresh yeast dissolved in milk.
  2. Involving slightly the yeast with some flour. Mix the sugar, orange juice and zest, aguardente, egg beaten with salt, fennel and melted butter and pork lard. It is important that the batter is warm, not boiling hot.
  3. Knead until the flour absorb liquid ingredients. If you are using your mix machine, do it with dough hook.

    4. Knead the dough a few minutes

    Obs: Knead until the dough is smooth, not sticky. If after you've been kneading for a few minutes, the dough still is sticky, add 1 tbsp flour and knead again until it's not sticky in the fingers or in the bowl.

  4. Leave it until has doubled in bulk, which will be about 1.5 hours at room temperature.
  5. For the filling, break the butter into small pieces. Mix thoroughly the sugar and cinnamon. Add more of each ingredient until you get the right spice taste. You can sift the sugar with a sieve, to avoid hardening and clumping.
  6. Once the dough has rested till double, preheat the oven to 190°C; extend it to a floured surface and than make a rectangle shape.

    7. Suggestion: It's easier to work with the dough if you use a cling film over the surface, floured.

  7. Spread the dough with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, abundantly.
    8.             
  8. In the longitudinal direction, fold the dough on both sides, to the rectangle center.
    9.            
  9. Spread again the dough with butter, sprinkle lightly with a little bit of honey (optinal) and then with cinnamon mixed abundantly.
    10.                        
  10. Roll the dough up like a cake roll.
    11.                        
  11. Grease a Pan, with 18 cm diameter, with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with baking paper and grease again with butter. Sprinkle with sugar.
  12. Put the dough it in the pan, upwards. The bread gets better if the pan is fitted to the rolled dough.
  13. Spread again the dough top with butter, sprinkle lightly with a little bit of honey (optinal) and then with cinnamon mixed abundantly.

  14. Bake in oven at 190 degrees for 50 minutes. If your cake is browning too quickly, just cover with a piece of foil. You can insert a clean toothpick into the center of the cake when the estimated baking time is nearly up. If the toothpick comes out clean or nearly so, the cake is usually done.
  15. Remove it from the oven and from the pan. You can brush the bread with warm honey to be bright.
    16.                       

    Enjoy it!