PORTUGUESE BREAD

This Pão de Deus (Portuguese bread) which means bread of God, will not disappoint you. So fluffy and soft in the inside and with a crunchy coconut crust.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1/2 cup warm milk (120 g)
• 1/3 cup water at room temperature (80 g)
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast (7 g)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour (450 g)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar (80 g)
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine at room temperature (40 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For coconut crust

• 2 cups grated coconut (150 g)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar (110 g)
• 1 egg

Additional:

• 1 beaten egg for brushing
• icing sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, water, and yeast. Mix and let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, rum, vanilla, the rest of the sugar 1/4 cup, and lemon zest to this.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the liquid mixture for 3 minutes plus one cup of flour. Add the rest of the flour and salt. Mix with a wooden, and put the dough on a flat surface and start kneading.
3. Add the butter and continue kneading. Knead for 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl and put the dough. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 1 hour (if it is summer) or 1 hour and 45 minutes (in the winter).
4. While the dough is resting, in a medium bowl mix all the ingredients for the coconut crust.
5. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, about 90 g each, and form round buns. Put them in a greased tray and brush with the beaten egg. Let stand for 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.
6. Add the coconut crust on top of each bread, being careful not to flatten the rolls.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Allow to cool completely before sprinkling with icing sugar.