Aunt's Portuguese Sweet Bread

Known in Portuguese kitchens as pao doce or massa sovada, this soft, faintly sweet bread shows up at Easter and Sunday breakfasts across the Azores and New England’s Portuguese communities.

What sets it apart from a plain loaf is the enrichment. Three eggs, a half cup of butter, and a good measure of sugar turn the dough rich and tender, with a fine, almost cake-like crumb and a deep golden color.

The beauty of this version is that the bread machine handles the kneading and proofing for you. You measure everything in, press start, and let it work while you go about your morning. Split the batch to make two smaller loaves.

A beaten egg brushed over the top before baking gives the crust its signature glossy, mahogany shine. Stir in a handful of currants if you like little bursts of sweetness studded through the slices.

Kitchen Tips

• For the traditional domed, glossy loaf, run the dough cycle, then shape, let it rise, brush with beaten egg, and bake in the oven.
• Add the optional currants at the machine’s mix-in beep so the paddle doesn’t shred them.
• Spoon and level the flour rather than scooping; packed flour makes a dense, heavy loaf.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest for the citrusy lift common in family recipes.
• Brush the warm loaf with a thin sugar glaze for a sweeter, shinier top.