Bolivian Recipes: Pan Dulce

Pan Dulce Navideño
(Christmas Sweet Bread)

Yeast Ingredients

2 spoonfuls dry yeast or 4 spoonfuls fresh yeast
1/4 cup water, lukewarm
2 spoonfuls sugar
2 water cups, lukewarm
2 cups flour

Dough Ingredients

10 cups flour cups, more or less
11/2 cups sugar
6 whole eggs
1 spoonful salt
11/2 cups butter
2 cups milk, lukewarm
1 spoonfuls orange blossom water
1 spoonful cognac
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
6 cups raisins
1 cup nuts, peeled and chopped
1 cup glazed orange rind
1 cup almonds, peeled and chopped

Yeast Preparation

1. In a deep bowl, put the 1/4 cup of water with the two spoonfuls of sugar. Mix well. Add the yeast and let it soak for five minutes.
2. To this mixture add the two cups of water, little by little, and the two cups of flour. Mix well and let rest until it raises and doubles.
3. Place this mixture under the sun or near the stove, covering with a dish cloth or towel.

Dough Preparation

1. To the yeast add the 11/2 cup of sugar, the spoonful of salt, the 11/2 cup of butter, the six eggs slightly beaten, the 2 cups of milk, the spoonful of orange blossom water, the spoonful of cognac, the essence of vanilla and the flour. Mix all ingredients very well.
2. On a table knead the dough until bubbles burst. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it whit a dish cloth or towel. Place the dough under the sun or near the stove so that it doubles in size for a second time.
3. In the meantime, mix nuts, almonds and glazed orange rind with one or two spoonfuls of flour, so that the fruit does not go to the bottom of the bread.
4. Once the dough doubles in size, add the fruit. Mix very well. Place the dough under the sun or near the stove so that it doubles in size for a third time.
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into eight parts. Make a ball with each piece and then flatten it, forming a bread loaf. Place bread loafs in a non-sticky baking sheet.
6. Let double for the fourth time. Bake it at medium temperature (European oven:150 degrees Celsius; American oven:302 degrees Fahrenheit) for forty-five minutes to one hour.
7. In a small bowl add a spoonful of boiling water, ten spoonfuls of fine sugar more or less, until it thickens, and finally, a teaspoon of vanilla essence.
8. Remove the bread loafs from the oven. While still hot, covered them with the sugar mixture suing a brush. If wanted, decorate with glazed fruit or raisins.

Main Dish