The UNCLE ROCCO’S PANDORO BRIOCHE is a cloud of sweetness that sits between tradition and modern indulgence — a sensory experience that combines the allure of slow fermentation with the most brazen deliciousness.
Soft as a cloud, scented with butter and citrus, glossy on the outside and incredibly stringy on the inside, this iconic brioche has won the hearts (and palates) of all Italy. At Uncle Rocco’s, every brioche is an act of love: artisanal, authentic and uncompromising.
Perfect eaten plain or filled with milk cream, pastry cream, chantilly, pistachio or hazelnut cream for a royal breakfast or snack.
Preparation is not quick; resting times are fairly long, but rest assured, the flavor will repay the wait.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 324.22 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 46.51 (g) of which sugars 11.96 (g)
- Proteins 10.62 (g)
- Fat 10.80 (g) of which saturated 6.33 (g)of which unsaturated 3.89 (g)
- Fibers 1.94 (g)
- Sodium 408.31 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 92 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 cups Manitoba flour (340w/360w)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 1.23 oz (fresh yeast) fresh brewer's yeast (about 35 g; ≈ 1 2/3 packets of active dry yeast (7 g each) as a substitute)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cup milk (at room temperature (about 137 g / 4.6 fl oz))
- medium eggs eggs (just under 3 medium eggs, beaten (about 137 g total))
- orange zest
- lemon zest
- 7 tbsp butter (soft (about 100 g / 3.5 oz))
For Uncle Rocco’s pandoro brioche you will need
- 1 Stand mixer
- 10 Disposable molds 6 x 4 3/4 in
- Plastic wrap
- 1 Work surface
- Molds
Preparation — Uncle Rocco’s pandoro brioche
First of all, take the butter out of the fridge at least 1 hour before starting, as it will need to be soft.
In the bowl of the stand mixer or in a large bowl, put all the ingredients. Weigh the eggs — it is fundamental that they have the same weight as the milk for the brioche to turn out correctly.
Work all the ingredients with the spiral hook for 10 minutes.
Add the soft butter little by little, adding more only when the previous amount has been absorbed. This will take about 10–15 minutes. You should obtain a smooth, silky dough.
Transfer the dough to the work surface, perform a few folds and shape it into a ball. Place it in a very large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in the turned-off oven with the light on for 2–3 hours or until it has tripled in size.
Rising times may vary depending on the ambient temperature.
Once risen, turn it out onto the work surface and divide it into pieces of about 3.5 oz (≈100 g).
Roll each piece into a rectangle, fold a few times and roll up to form a ball. These three steps give structure to the dough so it will rise upward.
Place the balls inside greased or oiled disposable aluminum molds (butter the base and walls), cover with plastic wrap and let them rise again, still in the turned-off oven with the light on, for 1 hour.
Bake the pandoro brioche placing the baking sheet on the second rack from the bottom of the oven, and cook in a preheated conventional oven at 347°F for 18 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool slightly. Then unmold and cool completely.
Fill them with my MILK CREAM or with your favorite spreadable cream.
Variation
Instead of using rectangular molds, you can use disposable muffin molds, make balls of about 1 3/4 oz (50 g) and, once risen, bake them at 347°F for 11 minutes.
Storage
At room temperature
Once completely cooled and unfilled, store in a food bag or wrapped in plastic wrap, preferably with a sheet of parchment in contact to absorb any moisture.
Ideally keep it under a glass cloche or in an airtight container.
It stays soft for 3–4 days if well protected from air and temperature changes.
Freezer
Freeze the whole, unfilled brioche well wrapped in plastic wrap + aluminum foil.
It keeps for up to 2 months in the freezer.
To thaw: leave at room temperature for a few hours.
