Pan de Pascua
This rich, slightly sweet yeast bread is ubiquitous in Chile during the Christmas season. Accompanied by cola de mono, an eggnoglike, spiced coffee drink spiked with aguardiente liqueur, it's the classic holiday snack. Similar to German stollen and Italian panettone, the recipe probably traveled to Chile with German immigrants in the early 1900s.
This recipe can be baked in a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides or, for a taller, narrower loaf like the one shown above, an 8-inch diameter clay flowerpot. It can be made a day ahead and rewarmed in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftovers make excellent French toast.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 1 (9-inch) round loaf
Ingredients
For yeast sponge:
1
3
For dough:
1
1
1
4
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Make sponge:
Step 1
In 2-cup glass measuring cup, stir together 1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over and stir, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until sponge rises to top of measuring cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and stir mixture down.
Prepare dough and bake bread:
Step 2
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add salt and zest and beat until combined. Add 3 eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Add sponge and beat until combined. Add 2 cups flour and mix at low speed until combined. Add remaining 1 cup flour, remaining 1 egg, brandy, and vanilla and mix at low speed until smooth.
Step 3
Increase speed to medium and beat dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add cherries, dark and golden raisins, and candied fruit, and mix at low speed until incorporated.
Step 4
Lightly butter clean, large bowl. Turn dough out onto work surface and form into ball. Transfer dough to bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl snugly with plastic wrap and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Step 5
Line 8-inch diameter (at top) flowerpot with foil and lightly grease foil. (Alternatively, lightly grease 9-inch diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides.) Turn dough out onto work surface and knead 1 minute, then transfer to pot or pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Step 6
Arrange rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap from dough in pan and transfer pan to oven. Bake 20 minutes, then lay sheet of foil loosely on top of loaf. Continue baking until bread is nicely puffed and golden-brown, about 25 to 30 minutes more. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes, then unmold and cool completely before slicing and eating.