Pandoro

Ingredients

• 500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 5g salt
• 125g caster sugar
• 10g dried active yeast
• finely grated zest of 1 orange
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 150g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100ml warm milk
• 2 medium eggs,
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla paste

Instructions

1. 1
   Grease a 500g pandoro mold with butter. Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt and caster sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other side. Add the orange and lemon zest, softened butter, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and milk. Start on a slow speed and mix together to form a wet sticky dough.
2. 2
   Increase the speed on the mixer and mix for 10 minutes. The dough should now be a thicker consistency and adhere to the dough hook. If the dough is dropping from the dough hook mix for a further 5 minutes or until the correct consistency is achieved.
3. 3
   Lightly dust a work surface with flour and gently knead the dough. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and leave to prove until doubled in size. This can take 4 hours, for best results leave overnight.
4. 4
   Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold in on its self a few times to knock out the air. Shape into a ball and place in the prepared tin, gently pressing into the corners of the tin. Cover and leave to rise until it comes to the top of the tin, this can take 1 ½ - 2 hours.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 350F. Uncover the pandoro and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Insert a skewer and test to see the cake is cooked through.
6. 6
   Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Before serving, trim the base so it will sit flat on a serving plate and slice into thick horizontal slices. Rotate the slices and dust heavily with icing sugar.