Hi all:

Well, here is my Easter Gubana (Easter Bread from the region of Friuli)! When I asked about this bread on the forum last month, nobody replied that they had made one, so I thought I'd share mine with you.

It was quite delicious, but definitely an "adult" flavored cake.  LOTS of nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds) and some booze soaking for the filling.  It was pretty much following the recipe that is in Carol Fields' "The Italian Baker", and was especially delicious with some vanilla gelato.  Next time, I think I need to make a wetter sponge, and I'll macerate the raisins before adding them to the nuts & other filling ingredients (which is a long list:  The aforementioned 4 nuts + raisins + candied orange peel + cinnamon + cocoa + lemon zest + 5 different liquor/liqueurs). 

There was what seemed to be an impossible amount of filling for the loaf - but I crammed it all in!

Hope you all had wonderful holidays!

peace.

Hi everyone:

Has anyone ever made "Gubana" from "The Italian Baker" by Carol Field?  It sounds so wonderful, I would like to make it for Easter this year - very nutty and buttery. 

I'm particularly wondering about her interesting suggestion to do the first rise with the butter simply set on top of the kneaded dough, and then working it in before shaping. Would this method also work with a babka recipe?  I find that my very buttery babka dough rises so slowly.

Just wondering if anyone has any general advice or tips.

Thanks!

peace,

karladiane