Have you ever thought about preparing homemade layered Pandoro? It is a traditional holiday recipe, scenic and fragrant, perfect for bringing the warmth of Christmas to the table. Its uniqueness lies in its preparation: a single dough enriched with layers of butter reminiscent of puff pastry, which gives the cake a soft texture and irresistible aroma.
For this recipe, I was inspired by the version from Rita Chef, a professional I’ve been following for a long time and with whom I’ve already prepared the easy Easter Colomba with great results!
The preparation requires patience, especially for rising times, but it’s not difficult: just follow the right steps and use quality ingredients. The result? A genuine, fragrant, and super soft Pandoro, perfect for breakfast or as a dessert during the holidays.
🎄 If you love Christmas sweets, also try my chocolate chip Panettone or the classic gingerbread cookies, ideal for gifting.
Shall we prepare the homemade layered Pandoro together? You’ll see the satisfaction!
See you soon, Susy.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 533.09 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 81.81 (g) of which sugars 26.38 (g)
- Proteins 14.75 (g)
- Fat 17.44 (g) of which saturated 10.37 (g)of which unsaturated 6.64 (g)
- Fibers 2.99 (g)
- Sodium 37.42 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 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 for a 750g layered Pandoro
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 oz fresh yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (+Manitoba mixed together)
- 1 4/5 cup Manitoba flour
- 1 4/5 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 pod vanilla (optional)
- 1/4 cup butter (soft)
Tools
- Bowl (medium size)
- Mold 750g Pandoro mold
I purchased the Decora Pandoro mold on Amazon, if you’re interested, you can find it here
Preparing the Homemade Layered Pandoro
In a bowl, pour the lukewarm milk, sugar, and fresh yeast, then mix well with a spatula to dissolve it completely. Add a tablespoon of flour (a mixture of all-purpose and Manitoba flour taken from the total) and work with a whisk until a smooth cream is obtained. Cover the bowl with cling film and let rest for about 15 minutes.
Take the starter and mix it slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing carefully. Then add the sugar, grated orange zest, and, if desired, the seeds from the vanilla pod. Incorporate the soft butter in pieces and mix energetically with a hand whisk until it melts.
At this point, add the flour a little at a time. When the dough becomes more consistent, transfer it to a floured work surface and knead by hand, incorporating all the remaining flour. Work the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form a ball and let it rise in the bowl covered with cling film for about 2 hours.Roll out the risen dough on a floured work surface, giving it a square shape. Distribute the soft butter cut into pieces in the center and fold the four corners towards the center, sealing them by pinching with your fingers.
Rotate the dough and roll it out again in a rectangular shape, then perform the classic three-fold. Repeat this operation a second time. Finally, perform a third three-fold and form a compact ball. The sealed part will go at the bottom of the mold.
Butter the Pandoro mold and insert the dough, making it adhere well. Cover with cling film and let rise for about 3 hours, until it reaches almost the edge.Preheat the static oven to 302°F and bake the Pandoro for about 50 minutes. If the surface should darken too much, cover with a sheet of parchment paper. At the end of baking, let it cool completely before removing it from the mold.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve my homemade layered Pandoro.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
See you soon, Susy
Merry Christmas to everyone 🎄
Susy🐾
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How do you store homemade Pandoro?
You can store it at room temperature, under a cake dome, for 3-4 days. If you want to keep it longer, wrap it in cling film and freeze it.
Can I make layered Pandoro without a mixer?
Yes, but it will require some patience. You can knead by hand as explained in the procedure, working energetically until you obtain a smooth and elastic dough.
Can I substitute Manitoba flour?
Manitoba flour is important for its strength (high W) which supports long rising times. You can substitute it with a strong flour, but results may vary.
