Italian Sweet Danubio Bread
Ingredients
Dough
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 140 g strong bread flour
- 100 ml milk
- 1 egg and 1 egg yolk
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 50 g soft butter
- 7 g dried yeast
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 20 g flour
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1/2 vanilla bean
Egg wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
Preparation
Gather in a bowl the two flours, yeast, sugar, milk, egg and yolk, and seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean. Mix well, then incorporate the soft butter one piece at a time, waiting for it to be incorporated before adding more. Add the salt last.
Knead everything for 15-20 minutes until it comes together; the dough should be soft, elastic, and homogeneous. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Prepare the pastry cream: work the yolks with the sugar, add the flour, and while stirring, pour in the hot milk flavored with vanilla in a thin stream. Bring to heat and simmer while stirring continuously.
Let the pastry cream cool covered with plastic wrap in contact.
When the dough has risen, divide it into balls weighing 40-45 g each. For each ball, form a hollow in the palm of your hand, fill with a bit of cream, and seal by pulling the edges to the center and pressing firmly. Place the balls in a 22 cm diameter baking tin lined with parchment paper.
Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another hour.
Brush the surface with the egg yolk beaten with milk and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, unmold when lukewarm, and let cool completely before serving.
