Pão De Deus – God’s Bread

Pão De Deus – God’s Bread (Portugal)

Sweet, pillowy, and golden, Pão De Deus (“God’s Bread”) is distinguished by its rich, buttery dough topped with a creamy, toasted coconut layer. Each bite balances light, fluffy bread with a subtly sweet, nutty topping, making it a comforting Portuguese treat perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• ½ tbsp (7.4ml) active dry yeast
• 4 tbsp (59ml) granulated sugar
• 3 cups (720ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp (29.6ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 tbsp (74ml) room temperature butter, plus 1 tbsp melted butter for brushing
• ¼ tsp (1.2ml) salt
• ¼ tsp (1.2ml) ground turmeric

For the Coconut Topping:

• 1 cup (240ml) coconut milk
• ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
• 3 tbsp (44.4ml) granulated sugar
• ½ tbsp (7.4ml) cornstarch
• 1/3 cup (80ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 egg yolks

Method:

Make the Dough:

Warm the milk in a pan or the microwave for 10-20 seconds until it is just lukewarm. Stir in the yeast and sugar and set aside until the yeast starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and turmeric in a large bowl. Stir the egg, vanilla extract, and extra-virgin olive oil into the milk mixture.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough. Add the room temperature butter and mix to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and glossy. Place in a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow the dough to double in size, about 1 hour.

Divide the dough into 8 equally sized portions and form those into balls. Place the dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow the dough balls to rise until they have doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Make the Coconut Topping:

Heat the coconut milk, whole milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a pan over medium heat, whisking until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the shredded coconut and cook for another minute. Take the pan off the heat and immediately stir in the egg yolks, whisking constantly until the yolks are incorporated and the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool.

Make the Buns:

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).

Gently poke the top of the buns with your finger to create an indentation in the center. Brush the buns with the melted butter. Place a large scoop of the coconut mixture on top of each bun.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown. Allow the buns to cool for 20 minutes before serving.