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Pandoro Italian Christmas Cake

ByRosemary Molloy November 22, 2020May 19, 2024 May 19, 2024

Pandoro, is a classic Italian Christmas Recipe, a simple and soft sweet bread that is almost cake like. Originated in Verona this delicious cake makes the perfect breakfast or even dessert idea throughout the Holiday Season.

To tell the truth I have always been more of a Pandoro person then a Panettone person. Yes I will never say no to a slice of Panettone especially if it is filled with dark chocolate chips. But there is nothing like a slice of a soft sweet bread for breakfast on Christmas morning!

How to make it

Start by making the biga:

In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast on top of the water, let it sit, stir it together, then add the flour and form a smooth dough. Place the dough back in the bowl and let it rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in bulk.

making the biga before and after rising in a white bowl

Making the first dough:

In the stand up mixer add the biga, flour, sugar and half the beaten egg. Knead with the dough hook on medium speed until almost combined then add the remaining beaten egg, knead on medium low speed. Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and knead and fold a few times.

making the 1st dough and kneading and folding the dough

Form the dough into a ball, place in a clean bowl, cover the bowl, place it in a not too warm draft free area and let it rise.

Making the 2nd dough:

In the stand up mixer add the first dough, the flour, sugar, honey, egg yolk, zest, vanilla and salt, start to knead on low medium speed (#2) for 1 minute, then add the egg one at a time, continue to knead, the dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Add the butter a little at a time, kneading continuously, when all the butter has been incorporated, continue to knead, the dough will be shiny and not overly sticky.

adding the butter to make the dough before kneading

Lightly butter a your hands and a flat surface, place the dough on top and fold 4-5 times.

Form into a dough ball, place it seam side up in a buttered Pandoro Pan, cover and let rise in a draft free not too warm area.

placing the dough in a pandoro pan before and after rising

Once the dough has risen triple the volume, it should have risen over the top of the pan, bake. Let it sit 30 minutes then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

What is a biga and why use it?

The biga, or also known as the pre-dough, is a prepared with water, flour and yeast. A biga is left to mature for a couple of hours or sometimes even overnight, it makes the dough slower to rise because of the repeated processing and rising times, it will also guarantee a fragrant, a more digestible and better preserved product.

Why does the dough need to be folded?

Folding the dough is done to give an airiness to the dough and it helps to develop the gluten in the dough. This is a very important part in making a successful Pandoro.

Where did it originate

Pandoro is a sweet bread/cake of Veronese origin, considered the rival of the Panettone from Milan! It dates back to 1500s, which was the period of the Venetian Republic. However the first commercially produced Pandoro of Verona was on Tuesday October 14, 1884, invented by the pastry chef Domenico Melegatti.

He was inspired by an ancient Veronese tradition, which was a leavened cake covered with granulated sugar and almonds. In his recipe he eliminated the covering, added eggs and butter, which made a much softer dough and the Pandoro was invented.

The only thing missing was the shape, which was designed by a Veronese painter by the name of Angelo Dall’Oca Bianca he designed the pyramid mold with eight points that distinguishes the Pandoro.

What other flavouring can I add?

The traditional Pandoro is made with vanilla but if you want to add something extra to it I would recommend lemon zest or orange zest. Our favourite was definitely orange.

Where are the cup measurements?

For this recipe I honestly think it’s very important that everything is precise, therefore the recipe is written in grams. I think once you start baking with a kitchen scale, you won’t be reaching for those cups! Another good tip for making the best Pandoro is to use a strong all purpose flour with at least 12-13% protein.

How to store it

Homemade Pandoro should be stored in a plastic wrap and placed in an airtight bag, it will keep for up to 6–7 days at room temperature. Freezing is not recommended.

More traditional Italian Christmas Recipes

So if you are looking for a traditional Italian recipe this Christmas I hope you give this Pandoro Italian Christmas Cake a try and let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!