Sweet Yeast Dough

Sweet Yeast Dough

Yield:  3 lb dough

Ingredients

1 ½ tbl (.5 oz / 14 g / 2 envelopes) active dry yeast
â…“ cup warm water
2 tbl (1 oz / 28 g) sugar

2 cups + 2 tbl (10 oz / 283 g) bread flour

1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz) milk. 80 °F

2 eggs, large, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
â…“ cup (2.3 oz / 65 g) sugar
10 tbl (5 oz / 142 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 
1 lemon, grated rind

3 ½ cup (16.25 oz / 461 g) bread flour

Special equipment needed:

• Stand mixer with dough hook, or large mixing bowl with wooden spoon
• Instant read thermometer

Directions
The sponge:

1. Dissolve yeast in water. Mix in sugar, let sit until it bubbles.
2. Place flour in machine bowl. Make well, add yeast. Mix for a second.
3. Add warm milk. Mix to make a soft sponge. Should be like thick pancake batter.
4. Dust with some of the reserved flour on top, cover with a damp towel. 
5. Let rise in warm place until bubbling and double in bulk, approx. 30 minutes.

Finishing the dough:

1. In separate bowl, beat together eggs, salt, sugar, butter and lemon rind.
2. Stir the sponge to deflate.
3. Add the egg mixture. Add just enough of the reserved flour to make a soft dough.  Add the remaining flour a cup at a time to reduce change of too much flour. 
4. Knead until smooth, about 4 minutes on machine, 6 minutes by hand.
5. Let rise at room temperature until doubled.
6. Punch dough down, cover bowl with plastic film and a damp towel, and refrigerate overnight.