Pandolce Genovese
A crumbly, fragrant Genoese sweet bread packed with sultanas, pine nuts, candied orange and cedar peel, delicately scented with orange blossom water.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Baking sheet
- •Baking parchment
- •Chef's knife
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 440 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the sultanas in warm water for fifteen minutes, then drain and pat thoroughly dry.
- 2
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
- 3
Whisk in the beaten egg, orange blossom water, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- 4
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl, mixing gently to create a soft dough.
- 5
Add the milk, drained sultanas, candied peel, pine nuts, and crushed fennel seeds.
- 6
Knead briefly with your hands until the fruit and nuts are evenly combined.
- 7
Shape the dough into a thick, compact dome roughly eighteen centimetres in diameter on a lined baking sheet.
- 8
Score a shallow triangle pattern across the top surface using a sharp knife.
- 9
Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for forty to forty-five minutes until golden-brown and set.
- 10
Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.
Chef's tips
Handle the dough as little as possible to retain a tender, shortbread-like crumb. Choose whole candied peel and dice it yourself for far superior moisture and aroma.
Ingredient substitutions
- candied cedar peel → additional candied orange peel or candied lemon peel
- orange blossom water → Marsala wine or finely grated orange zest
Storage
Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and foil; store in a cool, dry cupboard for up to two weeks.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature, avoiding microwave reheating which destroys the crisp outer crust.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-kneading the dough, which activates gluten and yields a tough, bread-like texture instead of a crumbly short crumb.
- •Leaving excess moisture on the sultanas, creating gummy pockets inside the bake.
- •Baking at excessive heat, scorching the delicate pine nuts on the outer crust.
Serving suggestions
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