Portuguese Sweet Bread

For some odd reason, the need to cook a potato pushed this recipe lower on my to-do list. I'm not sure why such a menial task would be daunting in a bread recipe, but I finally got around to this recipe.

Portuguese Sweet Bread
1//4 cup water
1 cup warm, cooked, finely diced potato
4 eggs, warmed
3 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups bread flour
Glaze
1 egg
Sugar

Heat the water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Add to a warm mixing bowl with the potatoes and eggs. Mix together well. Add yeast, and let stand 5 minutes.

Add salt, sugar, dry milk, butter and wheat flour. Mix well. Cover, and let stand 15 minutes.

Add bread flour, and mix well. Knead until smooth and springy, adding flour as needed. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let stand one hour until doubled.

Punch down dough. Shape into one or two round loaves, and place on prepared baking sheets. Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat egg well. Brush loaves with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the loaves are golden and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.