(Veronese Christmas cake - Traditional recipe)

Time: preparation: some hours ........ cooking: 30 minutes 300 g (10 1/2 oz) white flour 7,5 g or 1 tablespoon cake yeast Vanilla powder 100 g (3 1/2 oz) granulated sugar 4 eggs (2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks) 180 g (6 oz) butter Salt Icing sugar difficult recipe

  Spoon measures are American spoons, that is standard cook's measuring spoons used in USA.
  The best plan is to regard 2 American teaspoons or tablespoons as 1 English teaspoon or tablespoon (eating spoons)

Dissolve the yeast and 25 g (1 oz - 2 tablespoons) flour in a little bowl with a few drops of warm water. Leave aside in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile mix 60 g (2 oz) flour, 25 g (1 oz) sugar, an egg and a knob (25 g - 1 oz) of melted butter in a bowl. At this point add the prepared yeast, knead well and cover with a tea cloth. Let it rest for about an hour.
After an hour mix 120 g (4 oz) flour, 40 g (2 oz) sugar, a knob of melted butter, an egg, 2
egg yolks and the salt in another bowl. Add the dough prepared an hour before and knead
very well for 10-15 minutes, using 50 g (2 oz) flour a little at a time. The dough must be
elastic. Make a ball, cover with a tea cloth and let it rise for at least 3 hours.
Attention to the following steps! Roll the dough out on a floured work surface with a rolling pin. Dot the surface of the dough with 120 g (5 oz) soft butter. Incorporate it by rolling the dough up on itself several times. Every time flatten it out again with the rolling pin.
Let it rest for 15-30 minutes. Then repeat the process above several times. Let the dough
rest for another 30 minutes.
Butter a deep cake tin (octogonal-star cake tin) and sprinkle with sugar. Put the dough into
the cake tin and let it rise until it has reached the edges of the tin.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 180°C.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Open the oven. Take away the tin from the oven when it is cold.
Remove the cake from the tin and sprinkle with icing sugar.

If you want to combine this dish with other ones for a complete menu,
consult our "Members-only Area".