PANDORO, WHAT IS IT AND WHERE IS IT FROM?
Pastry Chef Luigi Biasetto says: “Pandoro is a Christmas bread that was born in Verona. The name means bread of gold. When sliced horizontally, Pandoro becomes a gorgeous star-shaped cake. Its presentation is so festive! For me that’s extremely important because a pastry always signifies a cheerful moment of celebration.”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT PANDORO?
“Pandoro is all about one sensory experience: SMELL. Just as sommeliers smell the cork as soon as they open a bottle, you should do the same with Pandoro. Open the bag to an explosion of aromas: natural perfume of vanilla, comforting combination of smooth honey sweetness, and indulgent buttery notes.”
HOW IS IT MADE AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM PANETTONE?
“What you taste when you eat Pandoro is the harmony of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. I have to mix the dough and let it rest 5 times to achieve the right consistency! While Panettone features the sensation of the added ingredients, Pandoro is fluffy with a cotton candy-like mouthfeel.”
PANDORO SEEMS TO BE MORE SIMPLE THAN PANETTONE, DO YOU AGREE?
“No! Pandoro is the MOST complicated bread, it takes several days to complete the production. It is infinitely more difficult than Panettone. So much so that today very few bakers and pastry chefs are able (or willing!) to make it. But I am crazy in love with it.”
How Martha Stewart likes to serve Biasetto Pandoro, the star of the table.
