This swiss poppy pane bianco recipe is the softest, tastiest bread, possibly, ever. The rustic figure eight is simple and stunning, and way easier to shape than you might think.
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If you've never experienced the joys of pane bianco, it's like the softer, fluffier, arguably tastier cousin of focaccia. Pane bianco translates to white bread, but this bread is so much more.
From start to finish, this swiss poppy pane bianco recipe takes a couple of hours, but the active hands-on time is pretty minimal. I love this bread because she's super tender and light, she isn't too cheesy, and she's bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
This pane bianco is rolled up with a handful of shredded swiss, some melted butter, minced garlic, dried onion, and a little dijon mustard. After the figure eight is done rising she's topped with a huge pinch of poppy seeds and baked to a beautiful golden brown.
Dough:
- bread flour
- active-dry yeast
- granulated sugar
- water
- salt
- egg
- olive oil
- sour cream
- swiss
- poppy seeds
Garlic Butter:
- butter
- garlic
- dijon mustard
- onion powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the active dry yeast, sugar, and ½ cup of warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast blooms and becomes foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix together the flour, yeast, salt, egg, warm water, olive oil, and sour cream. If using a stand mixer, mix on low (speed 2) for 5-9 minutes; until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and gathering on the dough hook. The dough will still be lightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl. If kneading by hand, combine all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 7-10 minutes, until the dough can pass the windowpane test.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather into a ball, using flour as needed to prevent sticking.
4. Cover and let rest in an oiled bowl, for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Kitchen Tip: Snap reference photos before you leave the dough to rise. The temperature and humidity level in your kitchen will affect the rise time, so it's always best to use visual cues instead of relying on a kitchen timer.
5. Use your fingers to press and work the dough into a long rectangle, about 9" wide by 22" long.
6. Use a silicone pastry brush to brush the dough with the melted butter and garlic mixture. See the recipe card for notes.
7. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and poppy seeds evenly over the melted butter.
8. Use a bench scraper or your hands to roll the dough tightly, lengthwise. Pinch the seem closed.
9. Turn the dough so the seam is on the bottom, transfer the roll to parchment paper, and make a slit down the center about halfway deep, leaving about 1" on each end.
10. Tuck the ends of the "S" underneath the dough to create a figure eight, allowing the dough to fall open.
11. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, about 45 minutes- 1 hour, until poofy and about doubled in size.
12. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil, and continue baking for 15-25 more minutes, until golden brown.
Note: Pane bianco is a rustic bread, so don't be afraid of imperfections in your final figure eight. If you feel it's necessary, you can very gently reshape and smooth out any rough edges left from the shears with your fingertips before the second rise. I typically just let her do her thing.
Pane Bianco is a really versatile bread that can be served fresh from the oven or wrapped and stored for later. You can reheat it in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil, slice it up and toast it, or enjoy it as-is with some olive oil, butter, or cheese.
Substitutions
- Swiss - instead of swiss, try another cheese. Havarti, gouda, or even white cheddar would be awesome in this recipe.
- Active Dry Yeast - use instant yeast in a pinch. The rise time should remain the same for this pane bianco dough, but you will lose a little flavor. Just add the instant yeast directly to the flour, there's no need to let it activate with sugar water.
- Dijon Mustard - dijon gives this bread a ton of flavor, but you can substitute for ½ teaspoon of dried mustard, or omit it altogether if mustard isn't your thing.
- Bread Flour - I love bread flour in this pane bianco because she gets extra soft and fluffy, but all-purpose can be swapped in a pinch. The rise won't be quite the same but you'll end up with delicious bread either way.
Storage
Store this bread, wrapped, at room temperature for up to two days. Wrap and freeze for up to three months.
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Recipe
Swiss Poppy Pane Bianco
Print RecipeIngredients
- 3 cup bread flour (360 g)
- 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup swiss shredded
- 2 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the active dry yeast, sugar and ½ cup of warm water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast blooms and becomes foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix together the flour, yeast, salt, egg, warm water, olive oil, and sour cream. If using a stand mixer, mix on low (speed 2) for 5-9 minutes; until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and gathering on the dough hook. The dough will still be lightly sticking to the bottom of the bowl. If kneading by hand, combine all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 7-10 minutes, until the dough can pass the windowpane test.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather into a ball, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cover and let rest in an oiled bowl, for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the garlic butter by combining the melted butter, minced garlic, onion powder, and dijon mustard. Set aside.
- Use your fingers to press and work the dough into a long rectangle, about 9" wide by 22" long.
- Use a silicone pastry brush to brush the dough with the melted butter and garlic mixture. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the melted butter.
- Use a bench scraper or your hands to tightly roll the dough, lengthwise. Pinch the seem closed. Turn the dough so the seam is on the bottom, transfer the roll to parchment paper, and form into an "S" shape. Use kitchen sheers to cut a 1" deep slit down the dough, allowing the bread to fall open. Tuck the ends of the "S" underneath the dough to create a figure eight. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise again, about 45 minutes- 1 hour, until poofy.
- While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 350º F. Just before baking, sprinkle the top with poppy seeds. Bake for 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil, and continue baking for 15-25 additional minutes, until golden brown.
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