The Venetian Easter Fugassa is one of those desserts that tastes of tradition. Soft inside and slightly golden outside, with the aroma of orange and lemon zest blended with vanilla and butter, it’s a cake that pairs well with festive breakfasts or a break with a cup of tea or coffee. Making it requires a bit of patience, but the result rewards every moment spent kneading. Brushed with egg white and sprinkled with pearl sugar, its crunchy surface offers a pleasant contrast to the soft interior. It’s a simple yet elegant recipe, perfect for bringing a bit of Venetian tradition to the Easter table and sharing a homemade treat with loved ones. Below, let’s see together what you need to make this delicious Venetian Fugassa:
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 4 cups type 0 flour (about all-purpose flour)
- 7 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs + 2 yolks
- 0.7 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 2/3 tsp salt
- grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1 pod vanilla bean
- 1 tsp honey
- egg white
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- as needed pearl sugar (coarse sugar pearls)
Steps
Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in warm milk, add a teaspoon of sugar and stir.
Prepare a large bowl and make a well with the sifted flour. Add the whole eggs and two yolks in the center, the sugar and the aromatics: the grated orange and lemon zests, the seeds of the vanilla bean and the honey.
Slowly pour in the milk with the yeast and knead by hand or with the planetary mixer hook until you obtain a soft, slightly sticky dough (it is normal for it to be like this).
Incorporate the softened butter, little by little, and the salt, continuing to knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and uniform and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (this will take some time).
Then cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about two hours, until it doubles in size.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, perform a series of folds and shape into a ball. Place the loaf in a 1 kg (2.2 lb) pan and let it rise for one hour, or until the dough is nearly to the rim of the pan.
Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Lightly beat the egg white with the powdered sugar until you obtain a soft cream. Brush the surface of the risen dough with the sweetened egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven at 338°F and cook for about 45-50 minutes; halfway through baking, cover with aluminum foil if the surface starts to brown too much.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. The Venetian Easter Fugassa is ready to be served at the table!
Bon appétit and.. see you next recipe!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
