Portuguese Sweet Bread

Ingredients

• 2 packages RED STAR® Active Dry Yeast
• 1 ¼ cups warm water (110-115°F), divided
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 5 ½ - 6 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 beaten eggs
• ½ cup butter
• ¼ cup dried currants (optional)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in ¼ cup of water. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the sugar on top and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in remaining water (1 cup), plus sugar, dry milk, and 2 ½ cups of flour. Beat 2 minutes. Add salt, 3 eggs and butter. Blend well. Add remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.
3. Knead 10 to 12 minutes by hand or with a dough hook. Place in greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover, let rise until double. Punch dough down. Divide into two equal pieces. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. 
4. Braided Loaf: If you want to do a braided loaf using currants, knead the currants into half of the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into three equal parts and roll each into 14-inch ropes. Lay ropes side-by-side on a greased baking sheet. Starting in the middle, braid. Pinch the ends and turn them under. Pinch to seal.
5. Cover and let rise until double. Using a pastry brush, cover the entire surface with egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablespoon water beaten together). 
6. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven, 30 to 35 minutes, or until tested done. Loosely cover loaves with aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.