Sweet Portuguese Easter bread for the bread maker II

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 packet of dry yeast
• 540 g flour, type 405 or 550
• 200 g sugar
• 80 g butter, soft, in flakes
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• some orange(s), grated peel
• some lemon(s), grated peel
• 3 eggs
• 200 ml milk
• 1 egg(s), separated
• some milk
• Butter for the mold

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Place all ingredients in the bread maker and run the dough program. Let the dough rise for another 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour until it reaches the top of the container). Remove the dough, knead it, form it into a ball, and let it rest, covered, on a buttered work surface (or foil), for 10 minutes. Now cut off a small piece of dough for decoration and set it aside. Shape the remaining dough into a smooth ball and place it in a buttered round pan (e.g., a 26 or 28 cm springform pan) and press it flat (the dough will fill the pan about halfway). Divide the small piece of dough into 2 halves and roll them out into long, thin strands. Pinch the two long strands together at one end, then twist them into a cord. The cord should be long enough to make a circle, about 2.5 cm from the edge of the pan. Brush the surface of the dough where the string will go with egg white and press the string into place, securing the ends. Place the pan in a plastic bag and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours, until it has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) ahead of time. Brush the surface of the bread with a mixture of egg yolk and a little milk. Bake the bread for about 30-45 minutes on the second rack from the bottom. If it gets too dark, cover with foil. Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack. The bread will rise dramatically again in the oven. This is a very light, pleasantly sweet, and aromatic bread. The decoration adds a decorative touch.