Pandoro: taste test

2023 Author: Cody Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 19:13

The world, in the Christmas period, is divided into those from Pandoro and those for panettone (who usually hate candied fruit, or hate raisins, and therefore perhaps they would choose another dessert first). There is no escape, it is useless.

Even on the most traditional tables, those where at Christmas the dessert trolley displays each regional dessert in a number of countless variations.

Even in the dining rooms of the best grandmothers in the kitchen, who started kneading sweets in November, to be ready for Christmas lunch.

Also on the silver trays of gourmet families, where each dessert is branded by the most renowned pastry shop in the city.

Even in all these Christmas tables, when the sparkling wine is uncorked, the cardboard pyramid arrives with a bag to shake to let the icing sugar fall like snow.

It is tradition, whether we like it or not.

As is the tradition that then, after having cut a couple of slices, that pandoro remains there, in the best of cases for an infinite number of coffee and milk breakfasts (I personally love the pandoro's sponge-like soaking capacity). At worst, to be kneaded again by the skilled hands of the grandmother for the Easter dove, as legend has it.

In short, we do not escape traditions either. And, as usual in our tests, let's rank the pandoro. And if last year, in our Christmas tasting test, we looked above all at the "buttery" of pandoro, this year we are looking for the most balanced recipe, that of the perfect pandoro.

We have chosen seven of the most popular pandoro brands in large-scale distribution.

CONTENDENTS

Maina A

Balocco B

Paluani C

The Thanks D

Tre Marie E

Melegatti F

Trunks G

JUDGMENT CRITERIA

Visual aspect

Packaging

Ingrediants

Gustatory Analysis

The test was carried out blindly, tasting the pandoro at room temperature, without powdered sugar.

# 7 Balocco (B)

- Judgment: I succumbed to the temptation of the tin gift box, both because it was particularly pretty and because in the basic version the pandoro Balocco was practically unavailable in supermarkets. In any case, it is a pandoro that did not convince me very much, because it is definitely less sweet and tasty than the other contenders.

- Visual aspect: a nice full and compact slice, slightly less high than those of the other contenders.

- Packaging: the tin gift box is very nice, while the normal packaging is practically identical to that of the Paluani, and apart from the Christmas red it doesn't convey much to me.

- Ingredients: wheat flour, fresh eggs, sugar, butter, natural yeast - emulsifiers: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids - fresh pasteurized milk - salt - cocoa butter - flavorings.

- Taste analysis: a pandoro that is a little dry and slightly buttery in the mouth, as well as lacking the sweetness I look for in an after-meal product.

- Price: 7, 87 € / Kg

- In short: it should be covered with tons of powdered sugar.

VOTE: 5

# 6 Trunks (G)

- Judgment: I was not convinced by this pandoro which, just like last year, seems a little not very tasty.

- Visual aspect: very shiny and with a full and uniform consistency.

- Packaging: congratulations for having dared with purple.

- Ingredients: type "0" soft wheat flour, fresh eggs, sugar, butter, natural yeast (gluten), emulsifiers: mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, salt, skimmed milk powder, cocoa butter, flavorings.

- Taste analysis: a pandoro that seems slightly spongy in the mouth (probably, in latte it would be perfect), but which lacks the sweetness necessary to make me fall in love.

- Price: € 4.90 / Kg

- In short: if we haven't used them all on the pandoro Balocco, tons of icing sugar are needed now.

VOTE: 6

# 5 Melegatti (F)

- Judgment: I don't know if the recipe has changed, but I found it much improved compared to last year's judgment.

- Visual appearance: nice clear and glossy color

- Packaging: blue and gold are a very Christmas combination, albeit a bit classic. Of course, always better than customization with Valerio Scanu.

- Ingredients: wheat flour, fresh eggs, butter, sugar, natural yeast, emulsifier: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids of vegetable origin, glucose syrup - fructose, skimmed milk powder, salt, cocoa butter, flavorings.

- Taste analysis: a soft Pandoro, which has a fairly balanced and not too cloying taste. Of course, not particularly sweet. A certain not very pleasant egg taste remains persistent.

- Price: € 4.90 / Kg

- In short: We appreciate the improvement. Or is it we who have become better?

VOTE: 6 +

# 4 Maina (A)

- Judgment: sorry? I was disappointed. I cut my slice of pandoro, and found a hole in the middle. The taste wasn't bad either, but I needed some time to recover from the disappointment.

- Visual appearance: slightly pale color and empty slice in the center.

- Packaging: the use of white is not convincing, even though it is Christmas whiteness.

- Ingredients: type "0" soft wheat flour, fresh eggs, butter, sugar, fresh pasteurized whole milk, natural yeast (contains wheat), fructose, emulsifiers: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, cocoa butter, salt, flavorings.

- Taste analysis: a pandoro that is neither too sweet nor too buttery, with a fairly neutral and all in all balanced taste. A certain vanilla aftertaste persists.

- Price: 5, 80 € / Kg

- In short: the hole with the pandoro around

VOTE: 6 ½

# 3 Paluani (C)

Judgment: if last year he had won the ranking, it is because the yardstick was the butter. This year, I'm looking for a more balanced taste, and frankly I found it too buttery a bit for my taste.

Visual aspect: once the slice is cut, a piece of heart is missing (it is not a metaphorical phrase, we mean that the slice is not quite full). Sigh.

Packaging: this total red bothers me a little. Promoted the vintage-inspired font.

Ingredients: wheat flour, sugar, butter, fresh eggs, fresh pasteurized whole milk, natural yeast (wheat), emulsifiers: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, cocoa butter, salt, flavorings.

Taste analysis: when tasted, the crust is a little dry, while the heart is particularly soft and tasty, with a very clear buttery flavor which, as far as I'm concerned, also persists a little too much in the mouth.

Price: 6,90 € / Kg

In short: very buttery

VOTE: 7

# 2 The Graces (D)

- Judgment: produced by Maina for Esselunga, it is a pandoro that satisfied me without having to drink liters of water to get rid of the sweet taste in my mouth.

- Visual aspect: an austere pandoro, nice tall compact. Slightly overcooked bottom.

- Packaging: (too) minimal. Not to mention the choice of pale pink.

- Ingredients: wheat flour, fresh Italian eggs from free-range hens, sugar, butter, fresh Italian pasteurized whole milk, mother yeast, fructose, emulsifiers: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, cocoa butter, salt, brewer's yeast, aromas.

- Taste analysis: when tasted, a pandoro with a balanced taste, not too sweet nor too buttery, pleasant without being intrusive.

- Price: 6, 40 € / Kg

- In short: so much grace

VOTE: 7 +

# 1 Tre Marie (E)

- Judgment: My mom has always said it, that the pandoro of the Tre Marys is unrivaled. And, like all mothers, she is right.

- Visual aspect: it is the one from which we cut the most inviting, compact and full slice.

- Packaging: very elaborate, not very Christmas, certainly different from the other contenders.

- Ingredients: wheat flour, butter, fresh eggs, sugar, natural yeast (wheat), emulsifier: mono and diglycerides of fatty acids; fresh pasteurized whole milk, cocoa butter, salt, flavorings.

- Taste analysis: a very pleasant taste, with the right degree of sweetness and "buttery". As for the consistency, I wouldn't have minded finding it a little softer.

- Price: 10.90 € / Kg

- In short: Finally (even in large retailers) it's Christmas.

VOTE: 7 ½

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED

Meanwhile, the aromas are everywhere. No matter how much butter you use, how much powdered sugar you put, the consumer obviously needs that little bit more to enjoy a product. At least hoping that we are talking about natural flavors.

Another thing we have learned is that there is no escape from the emotional effect of Christmas.

Let's face it: we have tasted good desserts, but we can think of them more greedy, more pleasant, more sweet. But no more Christmas. And this has undoubtedly influenced our judgments.

Last thing we learned, but deep down we already knew: if you really have to open them to make a bang with sparkling wine and then leave them there in the months to come, these poor Pandoro, think about it, after looking at the prices per kilo.