Portuguese Bread (Pão de água)
Portuguese bread (pão de água) is a rustic white loaf made with strong bread flour, water, dried instant yeast and salt. The Thermomix TM7 kneads the dough to a smooth, elastic consistency without any manual effort, giving you a crusty exterior and airy crumb. Ideal as an accompaniment to soups, cheeses or simply with butter.
About this recipe
Portuguese bread, known as pão de água, is one of the simplest and most rewarding bread recipes you can make in the Thermomix TM7. With only strong bread flour, water, dried instant yeast and salt, this traditional loaf proves that great bread needs nothing more than quality ingredients and proper technique. What makes this recipe special is the high water content, which gives pão de água its characteristic open crumb and wonderfully crisp crust, just like the fresh loaves from a Portuguese padaria. The TM7 kneading function does the heavy lifting for you, developing the gluten in the strong bread flour until the dough is silky and elastic, something that would take considerable effort by hand. Anyone searching for an easy homemade bread recipe with an all-in-one kitchen machine will appreciate how the Thermomix takes the guesswork out of kneading. Serve this rustic loaf warm with salted butter, alongside a hearty soup, or slice it for sandwiches the next day. It is perfect for weekend baking, festive tables, or simply filling the house with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread.
Preparation tips
- Use strong bread flour rather than all-purpose flour for pão de água, as the higher protein content develops the gluten needed for the characteristic open crumb and chewy texture of authentic Portuguese bread.
- Let the shaped pão de água loaves prove in a warm, draught-free spot until visibly puffed before baking; a slower second rise improves the flavour and the airy interior of the bread.
- Store leftover Portuguese bread in a paper bag rather than plastic to keep the crust crisp; refresh slices briefly in a warm oven the next day to restore that fresh-baked crunch.
- Serve pão de água with salted butter and a drizzle of good olive oil, or alongside grilled sardines and caldo verde for a truly Portuguese table experience.
Recipe variations
- Cornmeal variation: replace a small portion of the strong bread flour with fine cornmeal for a slightly golden crumb and a subtle sweetness, still kneaded effortlessly in the Thermomix TM7.
- Festive herbed version: fold chopped rosemary and a little lemon zest into the pão de água dough before the final shaping for a fragrant loaf that pairs beautifully with cheese boards at Christmas or dinner parties.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Weigh the strong bread flour directly in the mixing bowl with the integrated TM7 scale, so pão de água dough starts with precise ratios every time. [Precision Control]
- The Thermomix kneads the bread dough hands-free until smooth and elastic, replacing tiring manual work for this high-hydration Portuguese loaf. [Hands-Free]
- Mixing at a consistent speed blends the water, yeast and salt evenly through the flour, giving pão de água a uniform crumb structure. [Multi-Function]
- Heating the water to the right warmth with the TM7 activates the dried instant yeast reliably, so your Portuguese bread always rises well. [Multi-Function]
- Grinding coarse salt to a fine texture in the TM7 distributes seasoning evenly throughout the dough, preventing bitter spots in the baked loaf. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- water
- strong white bread flour
- dried instant yeast
- salt