I don’t usually bake bread but this recipe is just really special and this delicious bread is ideal for breakfast or to pair with some cafecito.
Ingredients
3/4 cup warm milk (120°F), divided
1 teaspoon plus 6 tablespoons sugar
2 envelopes active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, very soft room temperature
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated orange peel
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup chopped candied orange slices* or candied orange peel
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped figs
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
1/4 cup chopped roasted salted cashews
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Preparation
Place 1/2 cup warm milk and 1 teaspoon sugar in large bowl; sprinkle yeast over and stir to blend. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture looks foamy, about 5 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup flour to form soft sponge. Cover sponge and let stand until very light and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Whisk eggs, honey, butter, lemon and orange peel, salt, remaining 1/4 cup milk, and 6 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend. Stir egg mixture into sponge. Mix in 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, to form soft dough. Mix in additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft and just barely sticky. Turn out onto floured work surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour by tablespoonfuls if still sticky, about 8 minutes.
Butter another large bowl. Form dough into ball. Place in bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
Gently press dough down. Sprinkle with all fruits and nuts; knead in bowl to distribute evenly.
Remove center tube of an angel food cake pan and place an 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom inside to create 12-cup baking mold. Spray mold with nonstick spray, then butter and flour pan. Form dough into round. Place in prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume and almost level with top of pan, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pan dulce until deep brown on top and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let stand in pan 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
This sounds really great and like something my kids would enjoy! We’ll have to try it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
It sounds really good. I never made homemade bread, but I’ve always wanted to try.. maybe one of these days…
I read this post and I know that I am not capable of making something so involved and delightful…so…would you mind if I came over for coffee and I could try a bit of yours? LOL Thanks!!!
Jenny, I would love to have you, so come on over. 🙂
Yo le tengo un poco de miedo a hacer pan y me he comprado un libro a ver que se me pega, jeje.
Esta receta tuya me ha encantado.
Saludos,
Veronica
Hornear pan lleva tiempo y puede ser dificil, por eso cuando hago pan trato de hacer algo realmente especial como este. 🙂