Name: Pandoro
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 2165 min
Yield: 1 whole pandoro (about 12 slices each)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 455 g Strong white wheat flour, type 00, W 350 (60 g preferment; 150 g first dough; 230 g second dough; 15 g mold dusting); 80 g Water (30 g preferment; 50 g second dough); 8 g Fresh baker’s yeast (3 g preferment; 5 g first dough); 170 g Granulated sugar (45 g first dough; 125 g second dough); 220 g Whole egg, weighed without shell (110 g first dough; 110 g second dough, at room temperature); 30 g Egg yolks (at room temperature, for second dough); 160 g Unsalted butter (150 g soft, for dough; 10 g for mold and work surface); 30 g Acacia honey; 2 g Vanilla seeds (scraped from vanilla pods); 2 g Finely grated lemon zest (yellow part only); 2 g Finely grated orange zest (colored part only); 5 g Fine salt; 15 g Powdered sugar (for the cooled cake)

Add the eggs and butter gradually. A smooth, elastic dough must recover its strength before the next addition.

Make ahead Begin the preferment on the first morning, mix the first dough that evening and bake the next day. Cool completely before wrapping in a food-safe bag.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Cook: 1 hr
Rest: 33 hr 35 min
Yield: 1 whole pandoro (about 12 slices each)
Difficulty: Hard

Pandoro

Prep 1 hr 30 min · Cook 1 hr · Rest 33 hr 35 min · Yield 1 whole pandoro (about 12 slices each) · Difficulty Hard

Ingredients

Skip to the method

1 whole pandoro (about 12 slices each)

455 g3⅔ cups
Strong white wheat flour, type 00, W 35060 g preferment; 150 g first dough; 230 g second dough; 15 g mold dusting2 oz preferment; 5½ oz first dough; 8 oz second dough; ½ oz mold dusting
80 g2¾ oz
Water30 g preferment; 50 g second dough1 oz preferment; 1¾ oz second dough
8 g2½ tsp
Fresh baker’s yeast3 g preferment; 5 g first dough3 g preferment; 5 g first dough
170 g¾ cup
Granulated sugar45 g first dough; 125 g second dough1½ oz first dough; 4½ oz second dough
220 g8 oz
Whole egg, weighed without shell110 g first dough; 110 g second dough, at room temperature4 oz first dough; 4 oz second dough, at room temperature
30 g1 oz
Egg yolksat room temperature, for second doughat room temperature, for second dough
160 g½ cup
Unsalted butter150 g soft, for dough; 10 g for mold and work surface5½ oz soft, for dough; ¼ oz for mold and work surface
30 g1 oz
Acacia honey
2 g2 g
Vanilla seedsscraped from vanilla podsscraped from vanilla pods
2 g2 g
Finely grated lemon zestyellow part onlyyellow part only
2 g2 g
Finely grated orange zestcolored part onlycolored part only
5 g¾ tsp
Fine salt
15 g2 tbsp
Powdered sugarfor the cooled cakefor the cooled cake

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook, bowl at least 5 L and capacity for 1.14 kg enriched dough
Nominal 1 kg eight-point pandoro mold
Digital scales and probe thermometer
Large covered bowl, dough scraper and cooling rack

Method

Mix 60 g flour, 30 g water and 3 g crumbled yeast into a rough, firm preferment. Cover and leave for 8 hours at room temperature. It need not double.Mix 2 oz flour, 1 oz water and 3 g crumbled yeast into a rough, firm preferment. Cover and leave for 8 hours at room temperature. It need not double.
Put all the preferment in the mixer with 150 g flour, 45 g sugar, the remaining 5 g yeast and 110 g beaten whole egg. Knead with the hook until smooth, elastic and wrapped around the hook. Round the dough, cover in a large bowl and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Refrigerate for 14 hours. Mix the honey, vanilla and both zests, cover and refrigerate alongside it.Put all the preferment in the mixer with 5½ oz flour, 1½ oz sugar, the remaining 5 g yeast and 4 oz beaten whole egg. Knead with the hook until smooth, elastic and wrapped around the hook. Round the dough, cover in a large bowl and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Refrigerate for 14 hours. Mix the honey, vanilla and both zests, cover and refrigerate alongside it.
Bring the dough and aromatic honey out of the refrigerator for 1 hour. Chill the empty mixer bowl during the last 30 minutes. Add 230 g flour, 125 g sugar, the remaining 50 g water and the first dough to the bowl. Mix until the water is absorbed.Bring the dough and aromatic honey out of the refrigerator for 1 hour. Chill the empty mixer bowl during the last 30 minutes. Add 8 oz flour, 4½ oz sugar, the remaining 1¾ oz water and the first dough to the bowl. Mix until the water is absorbed.
Beat the remaining 110 g whole egg with the yolks. Add in small portions over about 20 minutes of mixing, waiting for each addition to disappear into the dough. Add salt, then the aromatic honey. After every 10 minutes of kneading, stop for 5 minutes so the dough does not overheat. When elastic again, work in 150 g soft butter a small piece at a time. The finished dough should stretch into a thin membrane without immediately tearing.Beat the remaining 4 oz whole egg with the yolks. Add in small portions over about 20 minutes of mixing, waiting for each addition to disappear into the dough. Add salt, then the aromatic honey. After every 10 minutes of kneading, stop for 5 minutes so the dough does not overheat. When elastic again, work in 5½ oz soft butter a small piece at a time. The finished dough should stretch into a thin membrane without immediately tearing.
Use the reserved 10 g butter to grease the mold and lightly coat the work surface. Dust the mold with the remaining 15 g flour and tap out the excess. Fold the dough over itself a few times with a scraper, rest for 5 minutes, then round it and place in the mold. Cover loosely and let rise for 4–6 hours, until the dough reaches the rim.Use the reserved ¼ oz butter to grease the mold and lightly coat the work surface. Dust the mold with the remaining ½ oz flour and tap out the excess. Fold the dough over itself a few times with a scraper, rest for 5 minutes, then round it and place in the mold. Cover loosely and let rise for 4–6 hours, until the dough reaches the rim.
Heat the conventional oven to 170°C, with room above the mold for the cake to expand. Bake on a lower shelf for about 60 minutes, until the center reaches 92°C. If the exposed top colors early, shield it loosely with foil. Cool in the mold for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Allow about 3 hours to cool completely before dusting with the powdered sugar and slicing.Heat the conventional oven to 350°F, with room above the mold for the cake to expand. Bake on a lower shelf for about 60 minutes, until the center reaches 197.6°F. If the exposed top colors early, shield it loosely with foil. Cool in the mold for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Allow about 3 hours to cool completely before dusting with the powdered sugar and slicing.