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Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread -Pane di Pasqua

by Savoring Italy

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Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread is a stunning citrus infused bread. Super fluffy and worth the effort to put together. Just perfect for Christmas or Easter morning.
 
overhead image of sicilian orange sweet bread

 

When another challenge for #TwelveLoaves comes around, I’m always a little nervous. Maybe not nervous, but sort of anxious. I sometimes think I know exactly what to bake and it involves yeast. I also sometimes think I’m really going to go the much easier route and do a non-yeast bread. I am in love with this Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread…let me tell you the story!

Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread

I love baking bread! I love baking yeast breads. I love baking quick breads! Obviously, the quick breads are much easier to put together. There are so many variations in quick bread recipes and a very tempting part in making them is the ease and speed! I’m not saying I’m not ever going to do a quick bread type of recipe for the #TwelveLoaves challenges. For now, I’m still experimenting with yeast recipes.

So far our theme of Oranges, I knew it had to be something for Easter. There are different types of breads that are wonderful for Easter and I’ve shared a couple here: a gorgeous Italian Easter wreath and these guti di pasqua.

overhead image of bread with almonds and sugar on top

 

Here is our fantastic April-Oranges breads from the incredible #TwelveLoaves bakers:

overhead image of slice of bread on white plate

 

#TwelveLoaves April: Oranges. The month of March was filled with gorgeous strawberry breads! We have chosen ORANGES for our April theme! Let’s get baking!

overhead image of slice of bread on white plate

When I found a Sicilian lemon and orange bread that inspired me, I decided I was going to bake it in a round cake pan with the removable bottom. I was looking around my kitchen frustrated because the bottom of the pan wasn’t closing correctly and the dough was ready to go to the next phase.

I found some panettone papers that I picked up on sale at Sur la Table. I’m still dreaming of baking a panettone since before Christmas. I tossed the dough into the paper and I said a little prayer. It wasn’t looking as puffy as it was minutes before in the bowl. I really thought that something had gone wrong and that the dough would never fill my paper even halfway. I covered it and walked away and I didn’t even peak while it was rising. I waited and waited and then….whoa!!

overhead image of dough in baking paper

 

The magical thing happened that all bread bakers hope for when working with yeast: this bread rose and it rose to beautiful proportions! See, I added orange marmalade to the recipe and the dough was a little wet. I had to add a little flour as I was combining it and I thought I messed around too much with this dough. I didn’t want to give up total hope, but I was prepared mentally to start a different bread the next day.
 
overhead image of dough rising in paper liner
 
overhead image of round loaf of bread with almond slices and sugar on top

Pin it to your BREAD, ITALIAN FOOD, or DESSERT board to SAVE for later!

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My husband saw me take it out of the oven and told me I needed to hang it upside down to cool or it will it will deflate.  I explained to Fabrizio that this isn’t a panettone recipe. I just happened to use my panettone paper and it is actually a challah dough recipe! No butter, but vegetable oil. I did use the almond topping the baker suggests with this recipe. It wasn’t very thick and it does drizzle around the sides. I wiped the sides of my bread. I happened to have pearl sugar and tossed some of that on top too! This is my riff on an Italian Colomba. My sort of faux-panettone.

 

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 Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread

Sicilian Orange Sweet Bread is a stunning citrus infused bread. Super fluffy and worth the effort to put together. Just perfect for Christmas or Easter morning.
Prep Time1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: braided bread, Christmas bread, Easter bread, yeast dough
Author: Lora

Ingredients

  • BREAD
  • 1 package 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water no more than 110°F [43°C]
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour or 5 1/2 to 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup peanut corn, or canola oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • finely grated zest of one orange
  • juice of 1/2 orange
  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • TOPPING
  • 2 medium egg whites
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1/4 cup flaked almonds
  • 1/4 cup pearl sugar

Instructions

  • In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water and yeast.
  • Mix until blended. Add the sugar and mix about a minute. Slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined.
  • Add another 2 cups of the flour, oil, salt, orange zest, orange juice and candied orange peel. Mix together on medium-low speed stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Slowly add the rest of the flour and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour.
  • Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don’t want to burn it out. Add flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
  • Take dough out of mixer bowl, form into a ball and coat with a light film of canola oil.
  • Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl ( I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil).
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 1/2 hours).
  • While dough is rising, in a small bowl stir together the egg whites, powdered sugar and ground almonds.
  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Punch down the dough. Gently incorporate the orange marmalade into the dough.
  • (I added it in spoonfuls. I added a spoon at a time kneading along after each addition, trying to keep the marmalade within the dough and not around the outside of the dough.) I added a little flour at the end and gave it one final knead into a ball.)
  • Add the dough to your panettone baking paper or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper lined around with a removable bottom. Let the dough rise until it reaches the top of the pan (or panettone paper).
  • Bake the bread for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the bread. Spoon on the almond topping. Some of it may drip down the sides (you can carefully wipe it with a paper towel). Sprinkle on the flaked almonds and pearl sugar.
  • Lower the heat to 350 F and return the bread to the oven. Continue baking for about another 15-20 minutes. The bread should be golden brown. Ovens may vary so check your bread after 15 minutes to see how it’s doing. You test if it’s done by tapping the bottom of the loaf. If it sounds hollow, it needs a bit more time.
  • Remove bread. Let it cool and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
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Comments

  2. Lou says

    Oh Lora!
    You knew I was looking forward to your recipe.
    It looks simply stunning!
    I can only imagine the softness of the dough…
    Wonderful, simply wonderful!
    Baci
    Lou

    Reply

  4. Stacy says

    That, my friend, that is what we bakers of yeast bread LIVE for! When the dough rises up and exceeds all your hopes, never mind your expectations. What a gorgeous loaf, Lora!

    Reply

  7. Rossella says

    Are you anxious? You're always great for Twelve Loaves (and not only for it).
    I'm anxious too. I want to propose something new each time.
    Your Sicilian Easter Bread is really great.

    Reply

  9. Renee says

    Brilliant of you to use the panettone paper for the bread. What a stunning loaf it turned out to be and with such a light and airy texture. Bravo!

    Reply

  10. Bakingyummies says

    It may not be a panettone but it certainly looks like one. The crumb is beautiful and your bread looks great especially the top with all those almonds and sugar pearls.

    Reply

  15. Susan says

    What i gorgeous bread and I can only imagine how incredible it smelled and the smell it brought into the kitchen! I love yeasty sweet breads and this is making me want a slice!

    Reply

  17. Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says

    Oh my goodness Lora. Just beautiful. I too was looking for the right pan to bake my bread and found panettone papers that I'd gotten from Sur la Table. Worked beautifully. Great minds think alike. I have hung my sourdough panettone upside down to prevent collapsing. I stick skewers through the panettone papers and hang them from my dining chairs! xo

    Reply

  19. Felice/All That's Left Are The Crumbs says

    Your bread is simply stunning Lora. I have been trying to stick to yeast breads since joining the group because I want to become comfortable baking any kind of bread too. I am looking forward to trying this, although I am kind of sad that I won't be able to bake it in a panettone paper since here is no way I would find them here. I'm sure I have a 9-inch pan so I'll try it in that.

    Reply

  22. Jamie says

    Lora, this is absolutely stunning!! Gorgeous! The texture does look more like a brioche than a panettone, but don't I just prefer it that way! I must try this recipe!

    Reply

  25. Nancy @ gottagetbaked says

    Whoa, no butter in there? Only oil? That's amazing! Your Sicilian orange sweet bread is absolutely beautiful, Lora. I'm in love with your dishes and the cake slicer. You are truly the queen of bread baking, lady. I'm always in awe of the things you make. And I totally need to hear more about hanging panettone upside down. I've always wanted to try making one because of how much I love eating them!

    Reply

  26. Holly says

    Wow- this is a stunning bread and perfect to celebrate Easter! Sur la table has recently opened near me and I will add panettone papers to my list of treasures to buy there!

    Reply

  31. cakeduchess says

    ciao Joann! I start it at 375 F and then for 2nd 1/2 of baking it's at 350F. Hope you had a nice Easter! Buona Pasqua!! grazie. 😉

    Reply

  35. Lauris says

    The recipe intrigues me especially the addition of orange marmalade. I am thinking that after the addition of the marmalade there is a second rise? It is not clear in the method. Looking forward to making the bread. Yours looks so tempting.

    Reply

  36. cakeduchess says

    Yes, let it rise again until it reaches the top of the pan (or panettone paper). It took mine about another 1.5 hours to rise enough. Enjoy the bread!

    Reply