Sweet breads

Method

1st Dough

Note – this dough needs a long proof so it is best to do it at night so that it can proof overnight, then you’ll be ready to make the 2nd dough the next day.

1. Into a stand mixer, add the eggs and yeast, and whisk to combine. 

2. Add in the flour and attach the dough hook. Mix on a medium low speed, until the flour has completely absorbed the wet ingredients. Once it has absorbed them, continue to knead for a minute on a low speed. 

3. While mixing on a medium low speed, add the cubed butter a few pieces at a time. Allow the butter to incorporate before adding the next few pieces.

4. As soon as the butter has all been incorporated, continue to knead for 1 minute. We are not looking to develop the dough too much so remove it from the mixer and gently work it on your work surface, shaping it into a rough ball.

5. Lift the dough into a large container or bowl, ideally with measurements on the side so that you can see how much the dough has risen.

6. Cover the bowl tightly and proof at room temperature for 12 hours or until the dough has tripled in volume. 

Butter Mixture

1. The next day, add all the ingredients for the butter mixture into a stand mixer, and attach the paddle attachment. Beat on a medium speed until it is smooth and homogenous. Set this to one side at room temperature.

2nd Dough

1. Now that the 1st dough has tripled in size, it is ready to use. 

2. Into a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour. Add the milk into a small jug too. 

3. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add half of the 1st dough, along with the yeast.

4. Add ¼ of the sugar/flour mixture and mix on a low speed. Drizzle in ¼ of the milk. Knead on a low speed until all the dry ingredients are completely absorbed.

5. Repeat this process, adding the sugar/flour mixture in increments along with the milk. Ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated each time.

6. Once you have a homogenous dough, add the remaining half of the first dough and knead on a low speed for a minute.

7. Add in the salt and knead for a minute. 

8. With the mixer still on low, alternate adding the egg yolks and butter mixture (above) in about 4 additions per ingredient. You need to ensure that the egg yolks are completely incorporated before adding the butter, and the butter is incorporated before adding the next part of egg yolks. Be patient here, waiting about 45 seconds in between each addition.

9. Once these have been incorporated and there are no streaks of egg yolks or butter, increase the speed to medium, and knead for around 10 minutes or until the dough is completely smooth and passes the windowpane test (where you stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers and it creates a windowpane without tearing).

10. Lift the dough out of the mixer, shape it into a tight ball, and lift it into a lightly oiled bowl. Allow it to proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.

11. After 30 minutes, using a dough scraper, split the dough into two equal 750g portions (you might have a little extra dough).

12. Use a dough scrape to shape each piece of dough into a tight ball.

13. Ensure your 750g Pandoro tins are lightly buttered and floured, and carefully lift the dough balls into the tins, smooth side down (so the smooth, top side of the dough should be against the bottom of the tin).

14. Loosely cover the top of the tins with clingfilm, and proof them for 4-6 hours at room temperature or until the dough has risen to just below the lip of the tin.

15. Before they are ready, pre-heat the oven to 170C/340F Non-Fan Assisted. 

16. When the dough has proofed, place the tins into the oven, and bake for 50-60 minutes. The dough needs to register a temperature of at least 95C/203F on a digital thermometer. After about 25 minutes of baking, cover the top with a sheet of foil to stop it from darkening too much. 

17. Once at temperature, remove the tins from the oven and allow the Pandoro to cool for 30 minutes in the tin, before flipping them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

18. Dust with icing sugar to serve.