Have you ever thought about making layered pandoro at home? It is a traditional holiday recipe, spectacular and fragrant, perfect to bring all the warmth of Christmas to the table. Its uniqueness lies in the preparation: a single dough enriched with butter folds reminiscent of puff pastry, giving the dessert a soft texture and irresistible aroma.
For this recipe, I was inspired by the version of Rita Chef, a professional I have been following for some time, with whom I have also prepared an easy Easter dove with great results!
The preparation requires patience, especially for rising times, but it is not difficult: just follow the right steps and use quality ingredients. The result? A genuine, fragrant, and very soft pandoro, perfect for breakfast or as an after-meal treat during the holidays.
🎄 If you love Christmas desserts, also try my chocolate chip panettone or the classic gingerbread cookies, ideal for gifting.
Shall we make the layered pandoro at home together? You’ll see what satisfaction!
See you soon, Susy.
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year's Eve
- 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 5 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 1.65 lb layered pandoro
- 0.25 cup milk
- 0.5 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (+Manitoba mixed together)
- 1.9 cups Manitoba flour
- 1.9 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 0.65 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 pod vanilla (optional)
- 0.25 cup butter (soft)
Useful Tools
- Bowl (medium size)
- Mold 750 g pandoro mold
Preparing the Homemade Layered Pandoro
In a bowl, pour the warm milk, sugar, and fresh brewer’s yeast. Stir with a spatula until the yeast is completely dissolved, then add a tablespoon of flour (taken from the total of all-purpose flour and Manitoba), and work with a whisk to obtain a smooth and lump-free cream. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Take the pre-dough and mix it gently. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring slowly to allow them to absorb well. Add the sugar, grated orange zest, and, if you want to scent the dough, the seeds of the vanilla pod.
Incorporate the soft butter in pieces and continue to work vigorously with a hand whisk until it is completely melted.
At this point, start adding the flour little by little. When the dough becomes more substantial, transfer it to a floured work surface and continue kneading by hand, adding all the remaining flour.
Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. Form a ball and let it rise in the bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 2 hours.Roll out the risen dough on the floured work surface and shape it into a square. Place the soft butter cut into pieces in the center and fold the four corners towards the center, sealing them well with your fingers.
Rotate the dough and roll it out again into a rectangle, then make the classic 3-fold. Repeat the same operation a second time.
Finally, perform one last 3-fold and form a well-compacted ball, leaving the closure at the bottom.
Carefully butter the pandoro mold and place the dough inside, making it adhere well. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 3 hours, until it reaches almost the edge of the mold.Preheat the static oven to 302°F and insert the pandoro, letting it bake for about 50 minutes. If the surface darkens too much during cooking, cover it with a sheet of parchment paper.
At the end of cooking, let it cool completely before removing it from the mold, so it retains its perfect shape.
When it is cold, dust it with powdered sugar and serve your homemade layered pandoro.
Merry Christmas to all!
See you soon, Susy
Storage and Useful Tips
The homemade layered pandoro can be stored for 3–4 days in a food bag or a panettone bag, well sealed, so it stays soft longer. You can also heat it for a few seconds in the microwave to regain its softness.
For an even more fragrant result, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of lemon zest to the dough.
If you want a more indulgent version, you can enrich the dough with well-chilled chocolate chips or fill the pandoro, once cooked and cooled, with mascarpone cream.
For a lighter version, you can slightly reduce the amount of butter in the folds without compromising the layering.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 plastic wrap and freeze it.
Can I make layered pandoro without a stand mixer?
Yes, but it will require some patience. You can knead by hand as explained in the procedure, working energetically until you get a smooth and elastic dough.
Can I substitute Manitoba flour?
Manitoba flour is important for its strength (high W) that supports long fermentation. You can replace it with a strong flour, but the results may vary.
