Published: January 3, 2025

Author: Antonio Maria Guerra

Pandoro
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE VERONESE CHRISTMAS BREAD

There is no doubt that Pandoro, together with Panettone, is the undisputed protagonist of the Italian Christmas table. This article is a complete guide to the famous sweet bread from Verona: from its main characteristics to the preparation, from its nutritional values to its variations, from its tasting method to its preservation, and much more. Let’s find out all the secrets of this delicacy. Enjoy reading!

What is Pandoro?

Pandoro is one of those desserts that cannot be missing from Italian tables during the Christmas holidays. Originating from the Italian city of Verona, this sweet bread is easily recognizable thanks to its typical truncated cone shape, with a horizontal eight-pointed section, like a star. The outside is sprinkled with icing sugar, which appearance resembles that of snow. Although its preparation requires only a few ingredients, such as flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, the result is a fine, soft delicacy with golden reflections: a true ‘Pan d’Oro’ (‘Golden Bread’).

Verona: the city of Pandoro.

The birth of Pandoro is closely linked to a city in the northeast of the Italian peninsula, Verona, which can be considered the ‘cradle’ of the specialty. It’s an ancient place, according to some scholars of prehistoric origin, held in high regard by the Romans. Over the centuries it has been ruled by various peoples, from the Lombards to the French of Napoleon and the Austrians of the Hapsburg Empire: so much history has given this center an inestimable heritage of culture, tradition and, above all, charm: factors that make it a must for tourists from all over the world.

Italian Pandoro recipe. (hints)

Although the number of ingredients is limited, the preparation of Pandoro is not an easy task: experience and, above all, a great care are required to get a good result. As is usually the case, we will not give the complete procedure, but only a few hints on the various steps.

INGREDIENTS:
00 flour, eggs, butter, water, brewer’s yeast, sugar (granulated and powdered), honey, vanilla, grated lemon and orange peel;

PROCEDURE:
01 – FIRST STEP: Mix the water and the yeast. Add the flour and mix. Let the dough rest for a few hours;
02 – SECOND DOUGH: Add more flour, sugar and chopped yeast to the dough. Knead it and add the eggs (both red and white);
03 – The dough must be left at room temperature to rise. Then put it in the refrigerator;
04 – At this point, it’s time to prepare an aroma mixture, which can include, in addition to vanilla, honey and grated orange and/or lemon peel;

05 – THIRD DOUGH: Knead the dough and add more flour, sugar, water, eggs (red and white), the aromatic mix and a little salt;

06 – After letting the dough rest, mix it and add the butter;

07 – Fold the dough and form a loaf: put it in the Pandoro form (buttered and floured);

08 – Place the pan in the oven and cook for one hour;

09 – Pandoro is ready. Take it out of the pan, turn it over and dust with icing sugar;

The preparation in video.

This video shows how to make pandoro. Thanks to Italia Squisita, the YouTube channel author and owner of the film.

The Pandoro mould.

The mould currently used to make Pandoro was designed in 1894 by the impressionist painter Angelo Dall’Oca Bianca. The artist, who had been commissioned by Domenico Melegatti, the inventor of the speciality, wanted to give it

a shape that would evoke the spirit of Christmas, so he designed a truncated cone with an octagonal section that, when viewed from above, resembles a star. Today, the distinctive profile of Pandoro has become part of the Italian collective imagination and, in fact, one of the symbols of the festive season.

The variants of Veronese Pandoro.

The most traditional Veronese Pandoro, characterized above all by its fluffy texture and its delicate vanilla aroma, has in recent years developed into many variants, some of them undoubtedly creative. Even if this has affected the typical ‘austere’ character of the specialty, on the other hand it has enriched it with ever-new flavors, making it, if possible, even more delicious. Among the most famous ‘interpretations’ of this delicacy, it’s worth mentioning the one filled with mascarpone cream, undoubtedly the most classic, although the one with chocolate chips is gaining a lot of admirers. There are also more ‘exotic’ versions, with pistachios or limoncello liqueur.

Year after year, Pandoro is proving to be the perfect canvas for the imagination of every pastry chef.

Pandoro and Mascarpone cream.

Among the many ‘interpretations’ of Pandoro currently available, the most famous, popular, and widespread is undoubtedly the one with Mascarpone cheese. Although this version can be bought in many pastry shops, it’s not uncommon for Italian families to make it at home. The procedure, not surprisingly, is relatively simple: the sweet bread is cut into horizontal layers which are filled with a cream based on mascarpone, eggs, sugar, and, for those who do not have children, a little liqueur (such as Marsala). Some people further enrich the mixture by adding cream and/or cocoa and/or coffee.

The savory Pandoro.

By its very nature, Pandoro, which is essentially a sweet bread, can be filled in many different ways. Not surprisingly, there is also a savory version, prepared with less sugar (or none at all) in the dough and enriched with the most varied ingredients, some of which may belong to the most authentic Italian gastronomic traditions, ranging from creamy cheeses

(such as stracchino or robiola) to cold cuts (such as ham or speck), from vegetables (better if grilled) to pâtés (with mushrooms, truffles, etc.), and so on. It can even be used as a tasty base for fancy sandwiches.
Such a ‘reinvented’ Pandoro, can be the ideal accompaniment to an aperitif, if not a proper main course.

How to eat Pandoro.

Here follow some useful suggestions to enjoy pandoro at its best:

Just before serving, it is a good idea to warm it slightly by placing it next to a heat source (such as a radiator) to make it softer and more fragrant, releasing its typical butter and vanilla aromas;
Once the Pandoro wrapper has been opened, pour in the icing sugarfrom the envelope that usually can be found inside the package. The wrapper should then be closed and gently shaken to distribute the sugar;

Although the most classic Pandoro cut is undoubtedly the vertical one, perfect for making regular slices, it’s also possible to cut the bread horizontally to obtain star-shaped portions, which are certainly very attractive when served at the table (in this case it is advisable to use a cream as an accompaniment);
Pandoro leftovers from festive banquets can be enjoyed at any time of the day: it’s perfect (for example) for breakfast or as a snack;

The right beverage.

The choice of the beverage to accompany Pandoro is essential to enhance the organoleptic characteristics of the sweet bread and enjoy it to the fullest. If you want to opt for an alcoholic one, you should go for a sweet sparkling wine (preferably an Italian Spumante), whose effervescence is ideal for balancing the fat content of the butter.

Non-alcoholic drinks could include tea (preferably flavored) or, for those with a sweet tooth, hot chocolate.

How to preserve Pandoro?

The preservation method is paramount in preserving the taste of Pandoro once the original packaging has been opened and a few slices cut. The simplest one requires to seal the sweet bread cake in its original bag or in a food-grade one, taking care to let the air out. The bag should then be stored at room temperature (around 25° or less), in a dry place, away from sunlight or heat sources (such as, for example, a cupboard). Under these conditions, the Pandoro will stay sufficiently fragrant for 2/3 days, although it will still be good after 4/5.

Calories and nutritional values.

Needless to say, Pandoro, like most of the specialties served at ‘lavish’ Christmas banquets, is not exactly a diet food.
Below is a short list with the calories and nutritional values per 100gr:

Calories 400kcal (ca.);
Carbohydrates 26gr (ca.);
Sugars 24gr (ca.);
Fats 19gr (ca.);
Proteins 8gr (ca.);

Let’s find out the history of Pandoro and many interesting facts in the article we dedicated to the sweet Christmas specialty.

The images displayed in this page belong to WebFoodCulture, with the exception of:

Public Domain Images

The last kiss, Francesco Hayez, 1823 Francesco Hayez, 1823 {PD-Art} {PD-US}

Creative Commons Images

La preparazione del pandoro presso i Laboratori Bauli, di Flickr, con licenza CC BY 2.0.

Pandoro THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE VERONESE CHRISTMAS BREAD