Stella di Pandoro with Red Berries

Before starting this Stella di Pandoro recipe, organise all the necessary ingredients.

Part 1: In a mixing bowl or salad bowl, pour the lukewarm milk over the fresh baker's yeast (also called bread-making yeast).

Mix with a whisk to fully dissolve it. Ensure that the milk isn't too hot as it could kill the yeast, which would then not yield the desired effect.

Add one tablespoon of caster sugar...

... and one egg yolk. Combine.

Add 50 grams of flour and combine until it forms a soft dough.

Cover with a cloth and leave to prove in a warm room, until the dough has doubled in volume. This should take about an hour.

Part 2: When the dough has risen, remove the cloth.

Dissolve 3g of baker's yeast in 3 tablespoons of tepid milk.

Add 100 grams of caster sugar...

... and one whole egg.

Combine the ingredients.

Pour the yeast preparation over the dough.

Add 200g of flour and mix thoroughly with a spatula.

Incorporate 30g of softened butter.

Mix well until the dough becomes smooth.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl...

... and cover with a tea towel. Allow it to rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size.

This should take about an hour.

Part 3: Add 200g of flour to the risen dough...

... 2 whole eggs, 25g caster sugar...

... a pinch of salt and 3cl of liquid vanilla extract (or the seeds of a vanilla pod).

Combine all ingredients with a spatula.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl...

... and cover with a tea towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume.

When it has risen...

... and knock the dough back with your palm.

Scrape down the sides and cover with cling film.

Store in the fridge overnight.

Part 4: The next day, remove the dough from the fridge. It will have risen even though it was chilled. That's normal!

Knock the dough back and transfer onto a floured kitchen worktop.

Roll out the dough into a 30 x 30cm square approximately using a rolling pin.

Using a palette knife, spread the soft butter into a thin layer.

Fold the four corners towards the centre...

... sealing the edges.

Roll the dough out into a rectangular strip...

... ensuring the butter doesn't seep out.

Rotate the dough a quarter turn counter-clockwise. Fold the dough in thirds. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough...

... into a rectangle.

Rotate the dough another quarter turn counter-clockwise. Fold the dough in thirds. Let it rest in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough lengthwise once more.

Rotate the dough a quarter turn counter-clockwise. Fold the dough in thirds. Let it rest in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough into a square (approx. 30 x 30cm).

Fold the 4 corners towards the centre again.

Repeat the fold, bringing the 4 corners towards the centre.

Flip the dough square...

... and form a ball by folding the edges inwards.

Grease a pandoro mould using an oil spray.

Place the dough ball at the bottom of the mould...

... pressing it down well.

Place in a warm area.

Cover with a cloth and let it rise until the dough reaches the edges of the mould. Depending on the room temperature, this could take between 1 to 2 hours. To expedite the process, you can place the mould in a proofing chamber.

Once the dough almost reaches the edge of the mould, remove the cloth and let it continue to rise. This prevents the cloth from sticking to the dough and damaging the surface.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at 170°C (gas 3) for 15 minutes (place a bowl of hot water at the bottom of the oven during baking).

Lower the oven temperature to 160°C and continue baking for about 30 minutes.

To check the Pandoro's doneness, insert a knife blade into its centre. If it comes out dry, the Pandoro is ready.

Once baked, remove the Pandoro from the oven and release from the mould while still hot.

Gently remove the mould...

... and leave to cool.

Diplomat cream: Organise the necessary ingredients. Mix the powdered gelatine with the hydration water (tap water or mineral water) and let it hydrate for 15 minutes.

Pour the milk in a saucepan, then add the Tadoka vanilla. Place on the stove.

Place the whole egg and caster sugar in a mixing bowl...

...and blanch with a whisk until you no longer hear the sugar granules rubbing against the bottom of the bowl.

Add the crème pâtissière powder...

...and mix until you get a smooth and homogeneous preparation, without lumps.

Once the solid vanilla has completely melted...

... and the milk comes to a boil...

...pour over the blanched mixture while stirring with a whisk.

Transfer the preparation into the saucepan used to boil the milk...

... and cook 'à la nappe' (i.e. until the consistency is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon) over medium heat. Continue cooking while whisking, keep a close eye on the temperature and making sure it doesn't exceed 82°C to avoid scrambled eggs.

Initially, the cream will thicken suddenly and become compact; this doesn't mean it's cooked. You need to continue cooking it for 2 to 3 more minutes over moderate heat, stirring continuously with a whisk until it starts to 'relax' a little. Your cream will become more fluid; this is the stage where you can consider it cooked.

Melt the hydrated gelatine in the microwave for a few seconds.

Add this hydrated and melted gelatine to the warm pastry cream...

...and vigorously stir to completely dissolve the gelatine in the mixture.

Transfer this gelled pastry cream into a food container...

... and cover the surface with cling film.

Leave to cool at room temperature.

Trim the Pandoro using a serrated knife to remove the top dome.

Remove a portion of the bottom of the Pandoro to create a wider base.

Take a round cutter. Choose the size of your choice. Depending on where you've cut the cake, the diameter may vary from 1 to 2cm. The cutter should be smaller than the inner part of the cake, as shown in the photo.

Press the cutter into the Pandoro to section the crumb. This should be done on a completely cooled cake.

Insert the knife into the side of the Pandoro, about 3 to 4cm deep, and slide it from right to left to cut the bottom of the biscuit disc you want to remove. Always stay within the same hole on the side, without widening it, and slide the blade to make a clean incision at the bottom.

Then gently remove the biscuit disc without breaking it.

This is what the result should look like. The depth of the cavity can vary according to your preference.

Diplomat cream (continued): Whisk the whipping cream into whipped cream using the mixer whisk attachment.

Place the gelled pastry cream in a mixing bowl...

...and whisk it vigorously to smooth it out. There should be no lumps.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream into the pastry cream...

...and quickly whisk it until the cream is homogeneous.

Add the rest of the whipped cream...

...and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula...

...until you have a smooth and homogeneous Diplomat cream. Pour the cream into a piping bag. The pastry bag should be fitted with a fluted nozzle Ø 1.1cm.

Pipe the Diplomat cream into the cavity, about 1 to 2cm thick.

Insert fresh red berries into the cream...

...and cover them with another layer of Diplomat cream.

Place more red berries, burying them into the cream.

Pipe Diplomat cream over the berries, and repeat this process until you reach the edge of the cake.

Pipe rosettes of Diplomat cream on each tip of the Pandoro...

...and fill the interior by piping swirls.

Finish: Insert fresh red berries into the still soft cream...

... to create a harmonious effect.

Finish the decoration by dusting the cake with sifted Codineige decorating sugar (or icing sugar).

Cut stars from the cake disc using a small star-shaped cutter.

Place the biscuit stars directly over the red berries. The Stella di Pandoro filled is now ready. Keep in a cool room if consumed quickly, or refrigerate for a few hours. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before serving. Enjoy this delicious dessert!