Italy Pandoro
Pandoro literally means “golden bread,” and is appropriate for a few different reasons. This dish is a golden brown color on the outside, but it was more likely named because many of the ingredients (sugar, butter, honey) were once only used by royalty or the wealthy. The pandoro itself was considered a luxury. Traditionally, a pandoro is made in a specific mold shaped like an eight-pointed star. It will not look the same, but the bread—a traditional Christmas bread that hails from Verona—can be baked inside a large coffee can to achieve the same luxurious height.
Prep Time
35 minutes
+ 7 hours 30 minutes resting
+ 7 hours 30 minutes resting
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
8 hours 40 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (9 g) active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 9 egg yolks
- 3 Tbsp (45 g) butter, melted
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cups (200 g) confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine one-fourth cup (60 ml) of water, yeast, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar, 1 egg yolk, and a half cup (60 g) of flour. Mix well.
- Cover with a damp towel and set aside to rise until double in size, about 2 hours.
- On a work surface, pour 3 cups (360 g) of flour and create a well in the center.
- In a bowl, beat together 4 egg yolks, half cup (50 g) of sugar, butter, and half cup (130 ml) of water.
- Add yeast mixture and mix together.
- Pour entire mixture into the well in the flour.
- Mix flour into the yeast mixture to make a sticky dough and knead dough for about 7 minutes. Dough should be tacky.
- Grease a large bowl, place dough inside, and cover with cling wrap.
- Set aside and let rise for 2 hours.
- Punch down dough and add the remaining flour, egg yolks, half cup (120 ml) of water, egg, sugar, and lemon zest.
- Knead until all ingredients are blended in, then knead an additional 10 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 2 hours.
- Butter and flour two separate molds (either pandoro molds or large coffee cans).
- Punch down dough, divide in half, and roll each half into a ball.
- Place each ball into a mold and allow to rise for 90 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for around 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out completely clean.
- Remove molds from oven, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove cakes from molds and let them cool completely.
- Sprinkle each cake with confectioners’ sugar.
- To serve, cut cakes into wedges.
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