Sweet Danubio

The sweet Danubio is a delicious sweet bread made with yeast, originating from Campania. Here’s the recipe to make it.

Ingredients

• 500 g of 00 flour
• 250 ml of lukewarm milk
• 80 g of sugar
• 80 g of soft butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cube of fresh brewer’s yeast (25 g)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Nutella, jam, or custard for the filling
• Powdered sugar for decorating

Preparation

1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the lukewarm milk with a teaspoon of sugar, then let it rest for a few minutes until bubbles form on the surface.
2. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a well in the center. Add the yeast and milk mixture, the egg, the rest of the sugar, the soft butter, the salt, and the grated lemon zest.
3. Knead well until the mixture is smooth and elastic, then form a ball, cover it with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
4. Take the leavened dough and divide it into balls of about 40-50 g each. Open each ball on the palm of your hand and put a teaspoon of Nutella, jam, or custard in the center.
5. Seal the ball with the filling by sealing the dough well and place all the balls in a round baking tray, leaving some space between them.
6. Cover the tray with the cloth and let the balls rise for another 30 minutes.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove the Danubio from the oven and let it cool before dusting with powdered sugar.

The sweet Danubio can be filled with various types of cream or jam according to taste. It’s perfect as a sweet treat for breakfast or teatime!

Curiosity

The name “Danubio” comes from the fact that the pieces of brioche bread are reminiscent of the waves of the Danube river. It is usually much appreciated at parties for its softness and for the versatility of the fillings that can be used.