Tuscan Sweet Ring-Shaped Bun (Tuscany)

Desserts

Ingredients

Compressed yeast - 3 cakes

Lukewarm milk - 1 3/4 cups

All purpose flour - 7 cups

Granulated sugar - 1 3/4 cups

Softened butter - 6 tbsps

Pork fat, finely chopped - 2 tsps

Baking soda - pinch

Marsala wine - 1/4 cup

Eggs - 4

Salt - pinch

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Butter for tube pan'

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in half the milk and add enough flour to make a sponge batter. Cover and leave to rise until foamy.

Beat down the batter, add the rest of the flour and milk, and the remaining ingredients, reserving a little egg white and beating pliable and shape into 1 or 2 long rolls. Fit the rolls into 1 or 2 tube pans brushed with melted butter - the dough should come about half way up the pan. Leave to rise for about 1 hour longer.

Brush with the reserved egg white, lightly beaten, and bake in a moderate oven (375F) for 1 hour. Cool before turning the bun out of the pan.