Pandoro

Pandoro is a classic of Italian pastry, especially during the Christmas season. Here is how you can prepare a delicious homemade pandoro:

Ingredients

• 500 grams of flour
• 200 grams of sugar
• 200 grams of softened butter
• 8 egg yolks
• 25 grams of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 150 milliliters of lukewarm milk
• The grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla pod
• A pinch of salt
• Icing sugar for decoration

Preparation

1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in part of the lukewarm milk with a teaspoon of sugar.
2. In a bowl, sift the flour and add the dissolved yeast, then start kneading adding the remaining lukewarm milk little by little.
3. Incorporate the yolks one at a time, making sure each is well absorbed before adding the next.
4. Add the grated lemon zest, vanilla seeds, and a pinch of salt.
5. Add the sugar and continue to knead until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture.
6. Add the softened butter in pieces, continuing to work the dough until the butter is fully absorbed and the dough is smooth and elastic.
7. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 2 hours.
8. Take the risen dough, deflate it gently with your fists and transfer it to a previously buttered pandoro mold.
9. Let it rise for another hour or until it reaches the edge of the mold.
10. Bake the pandoro in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
11. Remove the pandoro from the oven and let it cool completely before unmolding.
12. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Once completed, you will have a golden and fragrant pandoro ready to be shared with friends and family on festive occasions. Remember that patience is a key ingredient in leavening leavened doughs!