Pandoro Di Verona
Elevate your holiday baking with *Pandoro di Verona*, the quintessential Italian Christmas cake that exudes elegance and tradition. This golden, star-shaped dessert boasts a buttery, tender crumb enriched with aromatic vanilla bean and a delicate sweetness that’s perfect for festive gatherings. Skillfully made from a yeasted dough, this recipe involves a slow-rising process that creates its signature light and airy texture—a labor of love that’s rewarded with unforgettable flavor. Baked in an iconic dome-shaped mold, the Pandoro is finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, mimicking freshly fallen snow. Serve it sliced into wedges alongside coffee, hot cocoa, or dessert wine for a luxurious treat that captures the magic of Verona. Perfect for Christmas or as a show-stopping centerpiece for any winter celebration, this Pandoro recipe is your gateway to authentic Italian holiday baking!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 460 grams All-purpose flour
- 150 grams Sugar
- 140 grams Butter (softened)
- 6 Egg yolks
- 1 Egg
- 90 milliliters Whole milk
- 14 grams Active dry yeast
- 1 Vanilla bean (seeds scraped)
- 5 grams Salt
- 50 grams Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, dissolve 7 grams of the yeast in 50 milliliters of warm milk (not hot, around 38°C/100°F). Add 50 grams of flour and 10 grams of sugar. Stir to form a smooth paste. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until it doubles in size.
Step 2: In a stand mixer, combine the remaining yeast with 40 milliliters of warm milk and 50 grams of sugar. Add the risen starter from Step 1, 150 grams of flour, 1 egg, and 2 egg yolks. Mix on medium speed with the dough hook until combined. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Step 3: Add the remaining flour (260 grams), sugar (90 grams), and 4 egg yolks to the dough. Mix until a sticky dough starts to form. Gradually add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until fully incorporated. Add the scraped vanilla bean seeds and salt, and continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Step 4: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours until tripled in size.
Step 5: Lightly grease a traditional pandoro mold (approximately 1-kilogram capacity) with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
Step 6: Punch down the dough and shape it into a smooth ball. Place the dough seam-side down into the prepared mold. Cover the mold loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again for 2-3 hours, or until it reaches just below the edge of the mold.
Step 7: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) and bake the pandoro for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
Step 8: Let the pandoro cool in the mold for 10 minutes before carefully unmolding onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 9: Once cool, dust the pandoro generously with powdered sugar before serving. Slice into wedges and enjoy your festive Pandoro di Verona!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3996 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 156.1 g | 200% | |
| Saturated Fat | 85.7 g | 428% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1620 mg | 540% | |
| Sodium | 2963 mg | 129% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 564.5 g | 205% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 15.3 g | 55% | |
| Total Sugars | 206.0 g | ||
| Protein | 79.3 g | 159% | |
| Vitamin D | 7.2 mcg | 36% | |
| Calcium | 373 mg | 29% | |
| Iron | 25.7 mg | 143% | |
| Potassium | 1122 mg | 24% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
