Homemade Pangoccioli, irresistible from the first bite
Soft, fragrant, and filled with delicious chocolate chips: homemade pangoccioli are one of those snacks that win you over at first bite, thanks to a soft, light dough that encapsulates all the pleasure of dark chocolate.
- 280 g of Manitoba flour
- 280 g of 00 flour
- 130 g of water at room temperature
- 130 g of whole milk at room temperature
- 10 g of fresh brewer's yeast, or about 1 teaspoon of dry brewer's yeast
- 1 large egg
- 120 g of sugar
- 50 g of very soft butter
- 9 g of salt
- 1 generous teaspoon of multiflower honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or vanilla equivalent
- 125 g dark chocolate chips
- 1 egg yolk for the surface
- 1 tablespoon milk for brushing
- Step-by-step process for soft and irresistible pangoccioli
- First, mix the honey with the vanilla. Cover the mixture and, if possible, let it rest for a few hours: this will give the dough a more intense aroma.
- Before you begin mixing, place the chocolate chips in the freezer. They should remain very cold until you add them.
- Mix the two flours together. Take about 95 g of them and combine them with about 100 g of the mixture obtained by mixing water and milk. Add the yeast and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Cover the pre-dough and let it rise in a warm place, away from drafts, for about 40 minutes, or until it has significantly increased in volume.
- Add the remaining flours, sugar, and the remaining water and milk mixture to the leavened dough. Begin kneading vigorously, using a stand mixer or by hand, until the dough becomes smooth.
- Add the honey and vanilla mixture and then add the egg, continuing to mix so that it is completely absorbed.
- Add the very soft butter a little at a time. It's important to wait until each piece is absorbed before adding the next. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and well-bonded.
- Add the salt and finish kneading. Then fold in the cold chocolate chips, gently distributing them into the dough without overworking it.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until it has tripled in size. This may take about 3 hours.
- Gently turn the dough out onto the work surface, trying not to deflate it. Stretch it with your fingers and fold the edges, overlapping them. Let it rest for about 30 minutes and repeat the folds.
- Divide the dough into portions of about 44-45 g. Gently round each piece into smooth balls.
- Arrange the pangoccioli on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving about 5-6 centimeters of space between each bun, because they will increase in volume further.
- Let them rise again in a warm place for about 2 hours, until they are visibly swollen and have doubled in volume.
- Mix the egg yolk with a spoonful of milk and gently brush the surface of the pangoccioli. This step will help them get a golden brown color during baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) or at about 160°C (320°F) in a fan-assisted oven for about 15 minutes. Depending on your oven, it may take a few minutes longer.
- Check the cooking: the surface should be golden brown, while the inside should remain soft, light, and well-aired. Avoid overcooking them, as this will dry them out.
- Remove the pangoccioli from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- The hardest part comes right at the end: waiting for them to cool while the aroma of sweet bread, vanilla, and chocolate fills the kitchen. Once ready, just break one open to reveal a soft crumb dotted with dark chocolate chips. From the first bite, homemade pangoccioli are truly irresistible: soft and delicious, they're ideal freshly made but can be stored once completely cooled, tightly sealed to protect them from the air and keep them soft longer.
Making these little sweet rolls requires a bit of patience, especially due to the rising time, but the process can easily be done at home. The secret to soft homemade pangoccioli is kneading the dough properly, respecting the resting times, and gradually incorporating the butter. An important step also involves the chocolate chips: keeping them cold before adding them helps distribute them throughout the dough without melting them during kneading.
The recipe includes an initial phase dedicated to the flavorings and a pre-dough that allows the yeast to begin working before incorporating all the other ingredients. This is followed by a long leavening period, the shaping of the individual buns, and a final resting period before baking. The result is soft and fragrant chocolate chip pangoccioli, with a lightly golden surface and a fluffy interior. They're perfect for breakfast, a children's snack, or to take to school or the office. Once completely cooled, they can be stored tightly sealed to preserve their softness.
