Bread De Mei
Pan De Mèi
Rustic Lombard cake with corn flour, elderflowers and topping vanilla sugar.
Pan De Mèi is a rustic cake with a compact and fragrant consistency, suitable for breakfast or lunch. afternoon snack and characterized by the combination of corn flour and white flour. The presence of elderflowers introduces a delicate aromatic note, while butter, eggs, and sugar make the dough rich and rounded. cornmeal fine grain contributes to the structure, the coarse grain adds a pleasant grainy perception, typical of peasant corn-based preparations. fresh yeast makes the cake softer and slightly developed, without turning it into a soft leavened product. The finish with vanilla sugar It finishes the surface with a sweet aroma and a light golden crust. Pan de Mèi is a traditional Lombardy dish, also found in various forms in other parts of Italy.
Instructions
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8 steps · natural Italian voice
Sift the flours
Sift together the white flour, cornmeal Fine-grained and coarse-grained. Distribute the powders in a large bowl to eliminate any lumps and obtain a homogeneous mixture, ready to accommodate the other ingredients.
Add flavorings and seasonings
Combine the elderflowers, sugar, and a pinch of salt with the flours. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. the mixture it should be uniform, with the flowers well spread among the flours.
Incorporate eggs and butter
Add the eggs and the previously softened butter, then start kneading. Work the mixture until the ingredients are combined and the dough appears consistent, with no dry areas or pieces of butter still separated.
Dissolve and add the yeast
Melt the fresh yeast in a little warm milk, without overheating it, then pour it into the dough. Gradually incorporate the liquid and continue kneading until the mixture is smooth, soft, and firm enough to form a ball.
Proof the dough
60 minShape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover it with a towel. Let it rise for an hour in a warm place, away from drafts. When finished, the dough should be puffier and softer than when you started.
Shape the loaves
Divide the risen dough into several portions and shape them into slightly flattened loaves, approximately 10 centimetres (3.94 in) in diameter. Arrange them on the baking sheet at regular intervals, leaving enough space between one cake and another.
Complete with sugar
Sprinkle the surface of the loaves with the vanilla sugarDistribute it evenly, so as to create a sweet and fragrant finish that will accompany the browning during cooking.
Bake in the oven
30 minBake the loaves at 190°C (374°F) for about 30 minutes. Remove them when the surface appears golden and the structure is well cooked; let them cool before serving, so that the soft bread crumb will be able to stabilize.
Chef's Tips
The editorial staff recommends that proof the dough in a warm, covered place until it is visibly softer and swollen before shaping the loaves.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for 6 people
- (5.29 oz) 150 g white flour
- (7.05 oz) 200 g of cornmeal fine-grained
- (7.05 oz) 200 g of cornmeal coarse-grained
- (3.53 oz) 100 g sugar
- (5.29 oz) 150 g butter
- (0.53 oz) 15 g of fresh yeast
- 3 eggs,
- (0.53 oz) 15 g elderflower milk, vanilla sugar
- oil
- salt
Can't find it in the US?
- cornmealMost US supermarkets
Medium or coarse cornmeal, often labeled polenta
Not corn flour, masa harina or cornstarch.
- fresh yeastUS equivalent
Active dry yeast: 40% of the fresh weight (25 g fresh = 10 g active dry)
Or: Instant yeast: one third of the fresh weight (25 g fresh = 8 g instant)
Dissolve active dry yeast in lukewarm liquid first; mix instant yeast straight into the flour.
- vanilla sugarUS equivalent
1 packet (8 g) = 2 teaspoons sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⚠️ Automatic ingredient-based detection. Always check product labels.
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