Christmas cake

Name: Christmas cake (Pan dulce)
Yield: Makes a 1kg/2¼lb loaf
Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients: glacé icing and candied fruit, to decorate; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), lightly toasted and roughly chopped; beaten egg, to glaze; beaten egg, to glaze; glacé icing and candied fruit, to decorate; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), lightly toasted and roughly chopped; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), lightly toasted and roughly chopped; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), lightly toasted and roughly chopped; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), lightly toasted and roughly chopped; 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 250 g/9 oz/1½ cups dried and chopped candied fruits (orange and lemon peel, raisins, apricots, cranberries, citrus peel); 85 g/3½ oz/7 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter, softened; finely grated rind of ½ lemon; finely grated rind of ½ orange; 5 ml/1 tsp orange blossom water or orange liqueur; 5 ml/1 tsp orange blossom water or orange liqueur; 10 ml/2 tsp vanilla extract; 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup milk; pinch of salt; 115 g/4 oz/scant 1 cup caster (superfine) sugar; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 20 ml/4 tsp warm water; 175 g/6 oz/1½ cups strong bread flour; 7 g/½ oz fresh yeast

Pan dulce

Preparation info

Makes a
1
kg

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Argentina

By Cesar Bartolini

Published 2014

About

Rich and buttery, full of the warm scent of vanilla, and packed with dried fruit and nuts, this is a cross between a sweet bread and a light-textured cake. Italian in origin, where it is known as panettone, in Argentina it is traditionally served after Christmas dinner.

Ingredients

For the starter dough

7 g/½ oz fresh yeast
20 ml/4

Americas
Europe
Italy
Argentina
Cake
Dinner
Vegetarian
Christmas

Method

For the starter dough, blend the yeast with the water in a small bowl. Put the flour in a bowl and make a hollow in the middle. Add the yeast mixture and egg to the hollow and mix to a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with clear film (plastic wrap) and leave at room temperature for about 45 minutes until doubled in size.