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Round pandolce genovese with a golden crust and triangle cuts on a wooden board, sliced to show fruit and pine nuts

Homemade Pandolce Genovese with Candied Fruit and Pine Nuts

One 1 kg Ligurian sweet bread with candied citron, orange peel, raisins, and pine nuts, ready in under 4 hours with mostly hands-off rising.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert / Holiday Bread
Cuisine: Italian (Ligurian)
Calories: 275
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 400 g bread flour
  • 7 g instant dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
  • 90 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt (6 g)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed
  • 130 ml whole milk warm, about 35 C / 95 F
  • 2 tbsp Marsala (30 ml)
  • 1 tbsp orange flower water (15 ml)
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 90 g unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp neutral oil for the rising bowl
Fruit and nuts
  • 100 g golden raisins soaked in 60 ml hot water for 15 minutes, then drained
  • 80 g candied citron diced to 5 mm
  • 50 g candied orange peel diced to 5 mm
  • 60 g pine nuts
Egg wash
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp whole milk

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Pour 60 ml hot water over the raisins and leave them for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and crushed fennel seeds in the bowl of a 5-quart / 4.7 L stand mixer. Add the warm milk, Marsala, orange flower water, and egg, then mix with the dough hook on low for 2 minutes until a shaggy dough forms.
  2. Add the softened butter in three pieces, mixing 1 minute after each. Knead on medium-low for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. To knead by hand, work it on a lightly floured counter for about 12 minutes.
  3. Drain the raisins and pat them dry with a towel. Toss them with the candied citron, candied orange peel, and pine nuts, then knead them in on low speed for 1 minute, or fold them in by hand, until evenly spread. Transfer the dough to a bowl brushed with the oil, cover, and let it rise at about 24 C / 75 F for 90 minutes until puffy and close to doubled.
Shape and rise
  1. Line a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan with parchment. Press the dough down gently, shape it into a tight round, and set it seam-side down on the pan. Flatten it to a dome about 22 cm / 9 inches wide, cover loosely, and let it rise for 45 minutes. Go by the dough, not the clock: when a floured fingertip leaves a dent that springs back slowly, it's ready. An under-proofed loaf bakes up tight and heavy, and in a cool kitchen the rise takes longer.
  2. Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F during the last 20 minutes of rising. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon milk and brush it over the loaf. With a sharp knife, cut three shallow slashes about 1 cm deep, forming a triangle across the top.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating the pan after 25 minutes, until the crust is deep gold and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 93 C / 200 F. Tent the loaf loosely with foil once the top reaches deep gold, usually around minute 25.
  2. Slide the loaf onto a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Dice candied fruit to about 5 mm so it spreads evenly through the dough.
  • Bake until the center reads 93 C / 200 F, not by crust color alone.
  • Keep the loaf wrapped at room temperature, since the fridge dries the crumb.
  • Let the loaf rest a full 30 minutes on a rack before slicing.