Pão de Deus — Continente Home Version
This is the home formula published by Continente: an enriched yeasted dough portioned into 80 g buns, with a coconut, sugar and egg topping. The Fabrico Próprio encyclopaedia confirms brioche, coconut paste and icing sugar as the three defining elements of Pão de Deus. The recipe is neither attributed to a historic bakery nor presented as Portugal's single definitive formula.
- Yields
- 12 servings
- Prep
- The header states 60 min; the method requires two 1-hour rises
- Cook
- About 15 min
Ingredients
- 100 g / 3.5 oz Milk
- 100 g / 3.5 oz White sugar for the dough
- 30 g / 1.1 oz Fresh baker's yeast
- 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz, plus more for dusting Wheat flour
- 1 pinch Salt
- 4 Eggs for the dough
- 100 g / 3.5 oz Softened butter
- 70 g / 2.5 oz Sugar for the topping
- 70 g / 2.5 oz Desiccated coconut
- 2 Eggs for the topping
- 1 Beaten egg for brushing
- as needed Icing sugar
Method
In a large bowl combine the warm milk, 100 g sugar and crumbled fresh yeast. Rest for 5 minutes.
Add the flour, salt and four eggs. Knead by hand or with a dough hook until dense and uniform.
Add the softened butter and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough forms a firm but elastic ball.
Transfer to a floured bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled.
On a floured surface, divide and shape buns of about 80 g each. Put them on a parchment-lined tray, cover and leave to rise for another hour.
Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. For the topping, combine the 70 g sugar, coconut and two eggs.
Brush each bun with beaten egg and place one tablespoon of the coconut mixture on top.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool and dust with icing sugar.
Sources for this recipe
The quantities and method were checked against the references below. Family recipes may vary; where no single official formula exists, we present a representative practical version and say so plainly.
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