Ciambella Romagnola

Ingredients

• 500 g 00 flour
• 200 g caster sugar
• 120 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 150 ml whole milk
• 16 g baking powder
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• pinch of fine salt
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk, to glaze
• 2 tbsp pearl or granulated sugar

Before you cook

• Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
• Grate the zest from the lemon.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 175°C.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Beat the eggs with the milk and the cooled melted butter in a jug.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and bring it together with your hands into a firm dough.
5. Knead the dough on the work surface for 1 minute, just until it is smooth.
6. Shape the dough into a log about 30 cm long and press it down to 4 cm thick.
7. Lift the log onto the lined tray.
8. Brush the top with the egg yolk and milk glaze.
9. Scatter the pearl sugar evenly over the surface.
10. Score three shallow diagonal cuts across the loaf with a sharp knife.
11. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep gold and firm to the touch.
12. Cool the ciambella completely on a rack before slicing it thickly.