Pan de Pascua



In Chile Christmas would not be Christmas without enjoying a slice of Pan de Pascua accompanied with a local, traditional eggnog called cola de mono. This sweet yeast bread is not a real traditional Christmas recipe as its name means Easter bread, it is used to be made for Easter. But still, it is made for the holiday season. It is a cousin of the Italian panetone bread and the Belgian cougnou. The recipe is a bit difficult to realise but non the less worth the effort.

For the starter
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast (7g)
  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
For the dough
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Finely grated zest of 1 orange or lemon
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 cups unbleached strong flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons brandy
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup dried or glacéed cherries
  • 1/3 dark raisins
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins
  • 1/3 cup in total of candied ginger, lemon and orange peel
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
First make the starter by mixing the dry ingredients together. Add 1/2 cup of warm water and work this dough for 5-7 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to raise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the butter and the sugar into an electric dough maker, fit the leaf accessory on and set it to a fast speed to work the butter until all the sugar has dissolved. Add the zests and dried fruits as well as the salt. Set the machine on a medium speed and start incorporating the eggs one by one to the butter. Then add the flour, the vanilla extract to the mixture and allow the machine to work for another 5 minute on a low speed.
Then, change the attachment the bread hook and add the starter to the dough and allow to knead for 10 minutes.
Place the dough into a deep, round and well greased tin and set aside in a warm place to raise for a couple of hours.
Start your oven at 190 degrees Celsius (375F) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Take out of your tin and allow to cool down on a pastry rack.


Suitable for vegetarian, pregnant women, nut free.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous said,

    Hi can I please use this image on www.mytrinidad.org I promise to give you full credit for the pic. You can email me at queries@mytrinidad.org

    on 25 September, 2009  


  2. Yann_Chef said,

    Hi,
    Feel free to use my picture on your web-site.

    Yann_chef

    on 27 September, 2009  


  3. Anonymous said,

    Thank you so much for the use of your pic!!


    Risa

    on 27 September, 2009