THERE IS A LARGE POPULATION with Portuguese ancestry living in Rhode Island, as there was when I lived on Nantucket. The immigration took place when the whaling trade was prominent during the nineteenth century. Part of that heritage is this slightly sweet bread that is wonderful for sandwiches, especially those made with fillings bound with mayonnaise. In some ways, this bread is similar to Hawaiian sweet bread, which shows how the trade patterns and voyages for exploration united the world long before e-mail.
MAKES 1 LOAF
1 tablespoon/12 g active dry yeast
2 teaspoons/8 g granulated sugar
⅔ cup/158 ml whole milk, heated to 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C
⅔ cup/80 g millet flour
½ cup/64 g sorghum flour
½ cup/64 g cornstarch
⅓ cup/57 g potato starch
⅓ cup/42 g tapioca flour
⅓ cup/23 g nonfat dried milk powder
1¼ teaspoons/11.25 g xanthan gum
¾ teaspoon/3 g baking soda
½ teaspoon/3 g fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (½ stick)/56 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons/30 ml honey
½ teaspoon/2.5 ml cider vinegar
Spray the inside of an 8½ × 4½-inch/21.25 × 9.25 cm loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the millet flour, sorghum flour, cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca flour, milk powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a deep mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add the eggs, egg yolk, melted butter, honey, and vinegar and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick but still pourable cake batter.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula dipped in water, and cover the pan with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches ½ inch/1.25 cm from the top of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C toward the end of the rising time.
Covering the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes, bake the bread for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown, the top is firm, and it has reached an internal temperature of 200°F/93°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan by running a spatula around the rim and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
NOTE:
The bread is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.