Pandoro Veronese

Method

1. Prepare the lievitino: dissolve 13 g fresh yeast in 60 g warm water in a bowl. Add 10 g sugar and 1 egg yolk, mix. Finally add 50 g Manitoba flour and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a turned-off oven for 1 hour.
2. First dough: In a stand mixer, place the lievitino. Add 15 g warm water with 5 g fresh yeast dissolved, 25 g sugar, and 1 whole egg. Cover with 225 g Manitoba flour. Start mixing, then gradually add 30 g softened butter in small pieces. Mix until the butter is fully absorbed. Cover and let rest in turned-off oven for 1 hour.
3. Second dough: To the first dough add 225 g Manitoba flour, 100 g sugar, 2 whole eggs, 2 g salt, the seeds of 1 vanilla bean, and the grated zest of 1 organic orange. Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours to let it rise slowly.
4. Remove dough from fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. On a floured wooden board, roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread 140 g softened butter in small pieces over the entire surface. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter. Roll out again and fold once more. Gently shape into a ball.
6. Generously butter a pandoro mold on all sides.
7. Place the dough into the mold with the seam side facing up. Cover and let rise in a turned-off oven for 8–9 hours, until it reaches the rim of the mold.
8. Preheat oven to 200°C. Bake the pandoro at 170°C for the first 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, cover with aluminum foil, lower the temperature to 160°C, and bake for another 40 minutes.
9. Remove the pandoro from the oven. Leave it in the mold and place it upside down on a plate. Cover with a clean cloth and let cool for 3–4 hours. Then transfer to a plastic bag (fruit/vegetable bag) and let it mature for at least 7–8 hours (or overnight) in a cool place.
10. Just before serving, dust generously with icing sugar. Optionally add more icing sugar at the table.