The low pandolce genovese, along with the taller, leavened version, is the traditional Christmas dessert of Genoa. It’s so good that for several years now it’s been found in bakery and pastry shop windows all year round, and it’s one of the most exported products worldwide.
The low pandolce genovese is based on shortcrust pastry, with added flavors, dried fruits, and candied fruits. It’s quick to make because it doesn’t need to rise, and it’s never absent from our festive tables: the youngest family member removes the bay leaf traditionally placed on the pandolce, which the eldest at the table will cut, and the last slice is always kept for those less fortunate.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Christmas
- Energy 544.99 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 85.17 (g) of which sugars 40.48 (g)
- Proteins 8.31 (g)
- Fat 22.49 (g) of which saturated 11.80 (g)of which unsaturated 10.03 (g)
- Fibers 8.48 (g)
- Sodium 26.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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 flour (preferably Manitoba or all-purpose)
- 1 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs (organic)
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds (optional)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (Mediterranean)
- 2 cups raisins
- 1/4 cup candied orange peel (good also mixed with citron)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 tsp orange flower water (optional)
- 2 tbsps honey (acacia or wildflower)
Tools
I highly recommend kneading the pandolce with a stand mixer, using the dough hook or the paddle attachment. This reduces time, prevents the dough from heating up, and ensures perfect mixing of the ingredients. Alternatively, a food processor can also be used for the base dough. Otherwise, you can rely on good old elbow grease, which never fails.
- 1 Stand Mixer Kenwood XL Stand Mixer
- 1 Food Processor Kenwood MultiPro
Steps
Those who do not wish to use the stand mixer will still need to follow the same procedure by hand.
Quickly mix the flour and baking powder with the sugar and butter cut into pieces, until the dry ingredients have absorbed all the butter. Then add one egg at a time, the fennel seeds, the orange flower water, and the honey. Once the dough is ready, if using a stand mixer, lower the speed and add the pine nuts, candied fruits cut into cubes, and raisins that you have soaked in warm water. Work until all ingredients are well combined. Finally, pour the mixture onto a square of parchment paper or a silicone mat and, with your hands, form a dome, on which you will make three triangular cuts to aid in cooking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 340℉, for at least 40 minutes.
The Queen’s Secrets
The Queen’s Secrets
• I let it rest in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before baking, but this step is not mandatory.
• There are excellent variations to raisins, pine nuts, and candied fruits. Dried figs and walnuts and – my favorite – chocolate and hazelnuts: if we added 400 g of dried fruits, keep the same ratio. Dried figs weigh down, and it won’t be a problem, but the hazelnuts might seem a lot, yet they are necessary along with 200 g of high-quality dark chocolate chopped with a knife. These two alternative flavors are both delicious, but remember not to add fennel seeds and orange flower water to the dough.
• The pandolce can be kept wrapped in waxed or cling paper for about a month, and it makes a great gift idea.
• You can also prepare smaller pandolces to add to your gift packages.
• If you need ideas, you can find them here:
Sweets to Package for Christmas
• Remember that for wrapping food gifts, there is an elegant and sustainable alternative that is also part of the gift:
Bee wrap: the sustainable alternative to food wraps
Bee wrap: the sustainable alternative to food wraps
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