In Genoa, by tradition, the Christmas lunch must end with Pandolce, in dialect Pandoçe. We have two versions, the tall one made with fresh yeast or the short one called old Genoa, fragrant, rich in raisins, candied fruit, and pine nuts. In my variation, I make it with three chocolates and even more indulgent, this Sweet Bread with Figs, Hazelnuts, and Chocolate, a must-try! Join me in the kitchen, I’ll explain how it’s done…
Recipe from 11/29/2017 updated
Other recipes
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: Christmas, Winter
- Energy 583.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 69.51 (g) of which sugars 31.25 (g)
- Proteins 9.35 (g)
- Fat 31.97 (g) of which saturated 15.44 (g)of which unsaturated 15.35 (g)
- Fibers 5.49 (g)
- Sodium 65.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 137 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
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp marsala wine
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 tsp fennel seeds (fennel)
- 3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 3/4 cup 75% dark chocolate
- 1 cup dried figs
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Pastry Board
- Parchment Paper
Steps
Preheat the oven to 340°F. Place the sifted flour on the pastry board and form a well. Around it, add sugar, baking powder, very soft butter in pieces, fennel seeds, the egg, and a pinch of salt. Begin kneading, and midway, add the Marsala and let it be absorbed into the dough. Add the hazelnuts, dried figs, and chocolate, all coarsely chopped.
Knead and integrate the ingredients well. Divide the dough in half if you decide to make two 500-gram loaves (as I did) or form a single 1 kg loaf. Shape the sweet breads and place them spaced apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. With a knife, mark the surface by making crisscross cuts. Let them rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, then bake them for 45 minutes. Once baked, turn the oven off and leave them inside with the door ajar for 5 minutes. Once cooled, store them in a bag. With the Sweet Bread with Figs, Hazelnuts, and Chocolate, it’s truly Christmas!
