An Easter treat: Colomba / È quasi Pasqua! Colomba Giorilli dei Fables de Sucre

It’s almost April, the time to test your baking skills with difficult doughs, the time for Colomba! I tried this recipe last year and I am very sad not to be able to replicate it this year too, due to a lack of time. This Colomba, the original recipe is by Giorilli and this it the re viewed by Fables de Sucre, is simply perfect. A fragrant cloud with a compact, soft, buttery and well developed dough. Scent of vanilla and citrus, perfectly balanced, blend very nicely with the buttery texture. My guinea pigs loved it! As with all very rich doughs, such as panettone, there are some basic rules.

Sourdough Bolos de Ferradura / Bolos de Ferradura al lievito madre

What a lovely discovery the Bolos de Ferradura. When I started my research on Portuguese breads recipes the list of options was quite long, but as soon as I read the ingredients of this traditional breads in the shape of a horseshoe my heart was set on it. Anise and lemon zest how could I possibly resist? Bolo de Ferradura is a traditional festive bread (Nelson told me that he used to eat it as a child during country fairs) usually served as a wedding gift to guests by the bride, to bring good luck and prosperity. Bolo de Ferradura stands out for its compact crumb, almost similar to a biscuit. Dunk it in milk for a breakfast or an indulging snack. Join me and enjoy this sweet break!

Pao Alentejano

This bread was a nice discovery I made this summer, after meeting Nelson Carvalheiro at the Foodblogger Connect conference in London. On that occasion, during a long chat in front of a pizza at Franco Manca’s, Nelson asked me to be a guest on his blog, with a recipe of Portuguese bread. Needless to say I immediately accepted with enthusiasm. Other commitments and various things came in the way, and we have postponed the project. But now, with the upcoming changes, I decided to post this recipe and another one that will be posted on the blog Friday. Pão Alentejano is a long fermentation bread made with sourdough. It positively struck me for its taste, texture and beautiful crispy crust. Discover with me how to do it at home, it will take some time but it is absolutely worth it!

Raffaele Pignataro’s Panettone / Il Panettone di Raffaele Pignataro

Christmas is coming, by now most of you will have decorated their living room with a properly decorated tree, maybe yoi have put some pomanders here and there, set up the crib and started the countdown on the an advent calendar. I admit, my innate laziness and the luxury of having my sister (up until 3 years ago) to take care of the tree and house Christmas decorations at our parents made me unfit to recreate a proper festive atmosphere in the house. But as I type it comes up to my mind that some bread wreath, from Essen Mag’s shooting, are still lying around. It would take just 10′ to make a nice decoration, something to be hanged on my front door. That said to me Christmas mood is all in the food. All memories, emotions and Christmas images are filtered by special and traditional dishes.

Oh all these excesses! Bread Thins against Sourdough waste / Oh tutti questi eccessi! Sfogliate di pane per combattere lo spreco di pasta madre

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A mess, such a total mess I collected not 150 grams, not 300 grams but one kilo excess sourdough. These things happen when scheduling gets out of control, chaos grows and my excess sourdough jar fills up to the brim. What to do? Luckily bread thins are always there to save the day (and are quite appreciated by my guinea pigs). If you are like me, a waste hater that gets lost into too many projects this is the recipe for you. It does take some time but it has an addictive quality to it, once you start rolling out the dough you soon get into a state of trance. Try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed by these super crisp crackers, far the best I have ever tasted and baked in my own house. You can flavor them as you please, in fact I did three different flavoring a for these batches. Are you ready to roll the bread thins?

Sourdough Surprises: Sourdough, Saffron and Black Pepper Apple Fritters, diet can wait! / Sourdough Surprises: Frittelle di mele allo zafferano e pepe nero…e la dieta può aspettare!

I admit it, when I read this month’s Sourdough Surprises theme I was very pleased, and not pleased at all at the same time! It no secret to those who know me well and see me on a weekly basis that I have gained weight. Not a lot, but still those 2 almost 3 kilos one starts to gain without noticing and then it’s almost too late. For a long time my weight has been more or less stable but probably at 33 I should take a little more care about what I eat. Well luckily summer has hit Switzerland with a terrible heatwave and I’ll probably be able to shed off the extra weight I put on. Frying was not really in my book, oh well it surely was in one book…the black one! But these fritters, oh these fritters!

MTC Challenge May: Orange flavored Babà with Saffron Cream and Chopped Pistachios / MTC Challenge di Maggio: Babà aromatizzato all’arancia con crema allo zafferano e pistacchi tritati

When I read this month’s MTC Challenge recipe I jumped for joy. Babà! A sweet treat that has always fascinated me, a leavened which is not easily baked at home. In short, a real challenge! I thank Antonietta (not Antonella as I called her wrongly in my excited comment to the post on the official page of MTC Challenge…I do have a problem with names…) from the blog La Trappola Golosa, for throwing such a high standard challenge and especially for providing us with a GOR GE OUS recipe.

Ècole de Boulangerie de Panissimo: Marguerite

Last month I was so taken by Easter Festive Breads (fortunately all went down well) I didn’t post the bread for Panissimo’s École. You probably won’t believe it but at the beginning of April my bread for the École de Boulangerie de Panissimo – the Marguerite – was already baked and photographed. But then came Twelve Loaves, a couple of recipes Michela and I cooked together and some other projects and there was no space for another blog post.

Daring Bakers: Venetian Easter Breads / Daring Bakers: Veneziana (Fugassa de Pasqua)

The April Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den. She challenged us to Spring into our kitchens and make Easter breads reflecting cultures around the world.

You can’t imagine my happiness when I read this month’s theme for the Daring Baker’s challenge, Easter Breads! I had just tried out this gorgeous recipe by Fables de Sucre and was so amazed by the perfect result at the first attempt.

Delinquent bread, don’t try this at home! An offence to bread baking but still tastes good. Excess sourdough wholewheat bread / Una pagnotta criminale o anche un affronto a tutte le regole della panificazione. Pane integrale agli esuberi brutto ma buono.

New year, new goals, new…news?
I’m still in a transitioning phase in which scheduling has to be done, ideas must not only be put on paper but need to get in action and unfortunately time is short. So short I’m posting a plain recipe, no anecdotes, no funny story…oh well maybe there’s something funny about this bread and a few things to say.