Most Italian foodies are acquainted with the well-known Christmas cake: panettone. This vacation deal with is so ubiquitous that it has overshadowed a number of the different conventional Italian Christmas desserts, corresponding to Anello di Monaco.
Anello di Monaco | Italian Christmas Cake Recipe
Anello di Monaco, hailing from town of Mantova (Mantua), is just like panettone in that it’s primarily based upon a buttery brioche dough which requires a number of proofing phases in an effort to create an extremely gentle, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The benefit to Anello di Monaco is that it may be made at residence in a single day (panettone takes days, with months of prep) and is comparatively fool-proof (panettone is notoriously finicky).
Retailer-bought panettone (exterior of Italy) is normally overpriced, low high quality, and sometimes stale. If you would like a significantly better various that’s simple to make at residence, give Anello di Monaco a attempt!
A Be aware on Elements
For the sake of readability, we’ve separated the components into the completely different phases of baking. We’ve additionally stored every thing measured by weight. Though Anello di Monaco isn’t practically as delicate as panettone, the place one gram could make an enormous distinction, it’s nonetheless greatest to measure with precision when baking. Cups and tablespoons are something however exact.
Anello di Monaco does require some not-so-common components, however fret not! There’s positively an possibility obtainable to you.
All “gran lievitati” doughs (together with panettone) require a really excessive protein flour in an effort to obtain the proper consistency. Manitoba flour is the very best, however isn’t all the time broadly obtainable in grocery shops. One simple resolution is to combine all-purpose flour with very important wheat gluten flour (obtainable in lots of baking aisles) till you obtain a protein content material of 14-16%. Don’t fear concerning the math, right here’s a user-friendly calculator the place you possibly can enter the protein ranges of the flour you employ and it’ll inform you precisely the right way to combine the components.
The opposite considerably uncommon ingredient is chestnut cream, the standard alternative for binding the scrumptious filling. It may be sourced on-line, or simply changed with clean peanut butter.
Watch the Pasta Grammar video:
ANELLO DI MONACO RECIPE
Makes: One 8-inch cake
Prepare dinner Time: 6 to 7 hours, largely unattended
To make the yeast starter, you will have:
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200 grams Manitoba flour (see above)
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7 grams lively dry yeast
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20 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
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80 grams water
To make the “first dough,” you will have:
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100 grams Manitoba flour
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100 grams all-purpose flour
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20 grams entire milk
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1 massive egg
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2 egg yolks
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½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
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30 grams spiced rum
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90 grams unsalted butter, room temperature, plus additional for greasing
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40 grams granulated sugar
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3 grams salt
To make the “second dough,” you will have:
To make the stuffing, you will have:
To assemble the cake, you will have:
To make the glaze, you will have:
The Yeast Starter
In a bowl, totally combine the flour and yeast collectively. Add the butter and crumble it together with your fingers into the flour, till it’s roughly included. Progressively add the water whereas kneading it in by hand. As soon as the water in included, switch the bowl contents to a clear work floor and knead till a stable dough kinds. It doesn’t should be clean, simply well-mixed.
How the Yeast Starter Ought to Look
Place the dough again into the bowl and canopy with plastic wrap. Place the bowl within the oven (turned off) with the oven gentle on. Let it rise for one hour.
The First Dough
Add the risen starter dough into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add each the Manitoba and all-purpose flours, and start mixing at a medium/low pace with a hook attachment. Mix the milk, egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract and rum, and add these into the blending bowl as effectively. Lastly, add the salt.
Whereas the dough mixes, mix the butter and sugar in a bowl and blend them along with a spoon.
When the dough within the mixer is well-incorporated and has turn out to be uniform, steadily add the butter one spoonful at a time. Ensure that every butter portion is absolutely included earlier than including the following. When all the butter is included, enhance the pace barely and let the dough knead till it is vitally clean and elastic (try the video above to see what it ought to appear to be).
Grease the within of a big mixing bowl with a pat of butter. Take the combined dough in each fingers and type it right into a clean ball by stretching the edges down and tucking them beneath (once more, try the video above to see the method).
Making a Clean Ball
Place the dough within the bowl, cowl it with plastic wrap, and let it rise within the oven with the sunshine on for one hour.
The Second Dough
Place the newly risen dough within the bowl of the mixer and add the all-purpose flour. Combine with a hook attachment at medium/low pace. Mix the milk and egg yolk, and pour these into the mixer.
Whereas the components knead, mix the butter and sugar in a bowl and blend them collectively. As soon as the milk and egg are absolutely included into the dough, add the butter one spoonful at a time. Like earlier than, wait till every butter portion is included earlier than including the following. When all the butter is totally combined in, let the dough knead till it is vitally clean and elastic.
Type the dough right into a clean ball, place it again within the mixing bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let it rise within the oven with the sunshine on for one hour. When you dough rises, you can also make…
The Stuffing
In a meals processor, mix the hazelnuts and almonds into a rough powder (not too nice, you need some texture). Place them into a big mixing bowl.
Add the sugar and water right into a small saucepan and warmth over medium warmth till the syrup reaches 240°F (115°C) on an immediate thermometer. Pour the syrup into the chopped nuts, together with the rum and chestnut cream. Roughly combine them along with a spatula.
Mixing the Filling
Use a hand mixer to whip the egg whites till agency peaks kinds. Combine the egg whites into the nuts. Cowl the filling and put aside for later.
Assembling & Baking
Liberally grease the within of an 8-10 inch (20-25 cm) chiffon cake pan with butter. Additionally grease a big work floor or reducing board (you’ll desire a house about 20 inches or 50 cm sq.).
Place the bowl of dough the other way up and let the dough naturally fall out onto the work floor. Gently stretch the dough out together with your hand till it kinds a roughly 20 inch (50 cm) sq.. This shall be fairly simple because the dough shall be very fluffy and stretchy.
Unfold the filling alongside one fringe of the dough in a 4 inch (10cm) strip. Roll the dough up, beginning with this edge. It ought to appear to be an enormous burrito on the finish. Gently press the sides of the dough collectively to seal the filling inside.
Rolling the Dough
Rigorously carry the dough rollup and place it contained in the chiffon cake pan. Press the 2 ends collectively to hide the seam. Cowl the pan in plastic wrap and let it rise within the oven with the sunshine off till the highest of the dough reaches the highest edges of the pan.
When the dough is risen, take away it from the oven and preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C). Bake the cake for 35 minutes or till deeply golden on high. Let the cake cool fully earlier than eradicating from the chiffon pan and continuing to make…
The Glaze
Mix the powdered sugar, sizzling water and lemon juice in a big bowl. Whisk collectively right into a thick glaze and evenly unfold this excessive of the cake. Let the glaze set earlier than serving.
Spreading the Glaze
The cake is greatest eaten recent, however it’s going to final for 3 to 4 days at room temperature, loosely coated in plastic wrap.
Buon appetito!
Need to attempt making panettone at residence however don’t desire all of the fuss? Fortunate for you, we’ve got a recipe for a fast and simple “panettone” that is virtually pretty much as good as the actual factor!
