''Pandoro'' () is an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
sweet bread, most popular around
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
and
New Year. Typically a product of the city of
Verona
Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
, Veneto, ''pandoro'' traditionally has an eight-pointed shape. It is often dusted with vanilla scented
icing sugar, which is said to resemble the snowy peaks of the
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
during Christmas.
Its name and origins are attributed to the Italian pastry chef Domenico Melegatti.
History
The first citation of a dessert clearly identified as ''pandoro'' dates to the 18th century. The dessert certainly figured in the cuisine of the Venetian aristocracy.
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
was the principal market for spices as late as the 18th century, as well as for the sugar that by then had replaced honey in European pastries and bread made from leavened dough. It was at
Verona
Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
, in Venetian territory, that the formula for making ''pandoro'' was developed and perfected, a process that required a century. The modern history of this dessert bread began there on October 30, 1894, when Domenico Melegatti obtained a patent for a procedure to be applied in producing ''pandoro'' industrially. Melegatti formed a ''pandoro'' company in 1896, which survived a bankruptcy crisis in 2017.
See also
*
List of Italian desserts and pastries
This is a list of Italian cuisine, Italian desserts and Pastry, pastries. Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian desserts have been heavily influenced ...
* ''
Colomba pasquale'' (
Easter bread
In many European countries, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, there are various traditions surrounding the use of bread during the Easter holidays. Traditionally the practice of eating Easter bread or sweetened "communion" bread traces ...
)
*
Panettone
Panettone is an Italian type of sweet bread and fruitcake, originally from Milan, Italy, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Western, Southern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as in South America, Eritrea, Australia, ...
* ''
Panone''
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Pan d'oro
{{Italian bread
Italian breads
Italian desserts
Italian pastries
Cuisine of Veneto
Christmas in Italy
Christmas food
Christmas cakes
Sweet breads
Yeast breads