- flour 0 250 g
- granulated sugar 80 g
- butter at room temperature 70 g
- medium egg 1 (shelled 50 g)
- white vermouth or liqueur wine 30 g
- aniseed liqueur 30 g
- raisins 40 g
- pine nuts 30 g
- candied cedar cubes 40 g
- candied orange cubes 30 g
- dried figs 50 g
- kernels of nuts 50 g
- fennel seeds ½ teaspoon
- aniseed ½ teaspoon
- baking powder for cakes 10 g
- salt 1 pinch
It is the typical Christmas dessert of Liguria. Its origins probably date back to the times of the Egyptians and the Greeks but legend says in the sixteenth century Andrea Doria had called a competition between Genoese pastry chefs to create a cake that became the symbol of the city and its wealth. In addition to being good, however, it had to be able to keep for a long time, even on sea trips.
Begin by soaking the raisins until rehydrated, then drain and pat dry.
Finely chop the fennel seeds and anise. Cut the dried figs into small pieces and coarsely chop the walnut kernels.
Put in a bowl the cedar and orange cubes, figs and nuts, pine nuts and raisins, sugar and flour, yeast, anise, fennel and salt. Mix everything and add the anise liqueur, vermouth and butter at room temperature; knead until you get a homogeneous mixture and transfer all on a work surface.
Form a rather rounded loaf and put it on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Now bake the sweet bread in a static oven at 170 ³ for about 50 minutes. After the indicated time remove the pandolce from the oven and let it cool before serving.
