Portuguese Easter Bread

This is an individual serving version of the sweet yeast bread with an egg baked in it.

1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk, scalded
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
5 cups unsifted flour
1 to 2 cups unsifted flour
6 eggs in shell, at room temperature
Egg white

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix together sugar, hot milk, butter and salt. Stir until butter melts. Cool until lukewarm.

Beat in beaten eggs and yeast mixture. Next, beat in flour until smooth. Turn onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, adding as much flour as needed. Place in buttered bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until double in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide in sixths. Punch off one fourth of each and set aside.

Shape dough balls into flat cakes one fourth inch thick. Gently press an egg in each. Form each piece of dough that was set aside, make two ropes each 6 inches long. Place over egg to form a cross. Pinch ends to underside of cake with aluminum foil, make 6 collars in the form of rings, each 6 inches across and 3/4 inch high. Place rings 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Place dough in collars and let rise until double. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10 minutes. Brush with egg white mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Bake 10 minutes more until golden.