It’s soft, delicious and scenic: we’re talking about Woolen bread, a delicacy that tickles the palate. Let’s find out how to prepare the sweet Pan di lana.

Let’s start by saying that our Woolen bread it is a sweet brioche that everyone will like, but nothing prevents you from reinterpreting it in a savory way.

Woolen bread: origin and meaning

Before finding out how to prepare it, let’s understand what exactly this preparation brought to the fore by masters is (Pan di lana by Fulvio Marino) and show cooking (Pan di Bake off wool).

If his first appearance was on a Malaysian YouTube channel like Apronthis dessert is a clear example of how recipes and culinary traditions travel across cultural and geographical boundaries, enriching the tables of people all over the world.

Also called Wool roll breadThe Woolen bread it is a soft brioche that winks at the Danube in its shape and recalls a ball of wool in the lines of the surface. It is a slightly sweet bread characterized by a soft and light texture that recalls the softness of wool fibres.

The Woolen bread it requires a preparation process made of dedication and skill, but it is worth it (also because it can be prepared in both the sweet and savory versions).

How to prepare sweet wool bread, the recipe

The magic of this bread lies in its preparation which, even if a little cumbersome for the less experienced, allows you to obtain the perfect alveolation and the soft and light consistency that distinguish it. that’s how the recipe for sweet wool bread:

Ingredients

• 500g of wheat flour
• 3 eggs
• 140 ml milk
• 70 g sugar
• 10 g salt
• 5 g dry yeast
• 100 g butter
• 350 g hazelnut cream
• Egg yolk and milk to taste for brushing the surface

Recipe preparation

• Mix the flour, eggs, milk, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl (even better if you use a mixer or if you can prepare the Woolen bread with the Thermomix).
• Add the butter cut into pieces a little at a time, continuing to work the dough and adding them as they are absorbed. Knead until you obtain an elastic consistency.
• Leave the dough to rest in a bowl covered with a clean cloth or cling film for approximately 6-8 hours until it doubles in volume.
• Take the dough, cut it into four equal parts and roll out each part like a rectangle on a pastry board.
• Cut the top part to form small strips (or fringes), taking care to leave the bottom part smooth.
• Place a spoonful of hazelnut cream in the lower half, the one without fringes, and roll the dough from bottom to top. Proceed in this way for each part.
• Place the four parts with the frayed surface next to each other in a pan already buttered and lined with baking paper until they form a sort of donut.
• Cover the pan with a little cling film and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes (better if in the oven with the light on).
• Brush the surface with a little egg yolk and milk and bake at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes, until golden.

The variations of Pan di lana: sweet or savory?

The Wool roll breadalthough it has a traditional recipe, can be reinterpreted in multiple variations to suit individual tastes and preferences.

Some variations include the addition of poppy or sunflower seeds to the dough to enrich the flavor, or the use of alternative flours such as wholemeal flour for a more rustic and nutritious version.

Furthermore, you can experience a sweet woolen bread different by replacing the hazelnut cream and/or adding other ingredients: Nutella wool bread and hazelnuts, Chocolate wool bread, Woolen bread with jam and so on.

If you prefer a Salted wool bread then you can use cheeses such as parmesan or Emmental and cured meats such as speck for a stronger flavor note, or by incorporating aromatic herbs such as rosemary or thyme for a Mediterranean touch.

Yes also to the vegetarian version of Wool roll bread with a filling made of aubergines, courgettes and/or peppers.