Honey Pan Dulce with Nuts and Dried Fruit

A traditional cake during the year-end holiday season. It is a classic Christmas bread from Buenos Aires most famous bakeries, but it can also be prepared at home.

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm milk (120°F), divided
• 1 teaspoon plus 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 3 3/4 cups (about) all purpose flour, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, very soft room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated orange peel
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup chopped candied orange slices or candied orange peel
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped figs
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted salted cashews
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Method

1. Place 1/2 cup warm milk and 1 teaspoon sugar in large bowl; sprinkle yeast over and stir to blend. Let stand until yeast dissolves and mixture looks foamy, about 5minutes.
2. Mix in 1/2 cup flour to form soft sponge. Cover sponge and let stand until very light and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
3. Whisk eggs, honey, butter, lemon and orange peel, salt, remaining 1/4 cup milk, and 6 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend. Stir egg mixture into sponge.
4. Mix in 3 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, to form soft dough. Mix in additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft and just barely sticky. Turn out onto floured work surface.
5. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour by tablespoonfuls if still sticky, about 8 minutes.
6. Butter another large bowl. Form dough into ball. Place in bowl; turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
7. Gently press dough down. Sprinkle with all fruits and nuts; knead in bowl to distribute evenly.
8. Remove center tube of an angel food cake pan and place an 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom inside to create 12-cup baking mold. Spray mold with nonstick spray, then butter and flour pan. Form dough into round.
9. Place in prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume and almost level with top of pan, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pan dulce until deep brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let stand in pan 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

(Source:ricopandedulce)