Mrs. Correia was our babysitter when we lived in San Diego. Her husband was a Portuguese Tuna Fisherman and he was lost at seas for several months while we lived in S.D. She brought us a loaf of this wonderful sweet egg bread for Easter that year. I must confess this recipe makes a lot so I usually share it with friends.
5 lb. flour
2 doz. large eggs
3 cups sugar
3/4 lb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
5 pkg. yeast
Grated rind of one large lemon
Beat Eggs and sugar lightly. Melt butter. Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Mix flour and salt; add to yeast. Then add sugar and egg mixture and lemon rind. Beat until smooth. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Make a well in the center of the dough. Add the melted butter a little at a time and work it into the dough. If necessary, knead in additional flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 min. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from draft until doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Divide dough into five equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Take one piece and set aside covering with plastic wrap. Place each remaining piece of dough into a greased 9" pie pan. Cover. Let rise in a warm place fee from draft, until doubled in bulk. Place a hollowed out, colored egg shell in center of each. Divide remaining piece of dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a 12" rope. Using 2 ropes cross in an "X" over each egg and seal ends underneath dough. Let rise until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake for 40 - 60 min. or until done. After 15 min. , top loosely with a tent of alum. foil if browning too rapidly.