Panettone

Prep Time: 1 hour (plus 36 hours total rising time)

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 37 hours 45 minutes

Servings: 10

Origin

• Region: Lombardy (Milan)

• Historical Context: Dating back to the Renaissance, this bread-style cake's name derives from pan de ton (luxury bread). It is the most legendary holiday culinary icon across Italy, traditionally consumed during Christmas.

Description

A tall, dome-shaped luxury sweet bread made via a painstakingly slow, multi-stage sourdough fermentation process, yielding a rich, feather-light, buttery crumb packed with sweet candied orange and citron peels, along with plump raisins.

Presentation

Cut vertically into thick, towering wedges using a serrated knife. Served at room temperature alongside a sweet sparkling wine like Moscato d'Asti or a warm glass of rich zabaglione.

Ingredients

• 500g strong bread flour (high gluten, Type 00)

• 150g natural wild yeast sourdough starter (lievito madre)

• 150g unsalted butter, softened

• 4 large egg yolks

• 120g granulated sugar

• 150ml warm water

• 150g raisins (soaked in warm water and drained)

• 100g candied orange peel, diced

• 1 tsp vanilla extract and zest of 1 fresh lemon

Step-by-Step Directions

1. First Dough: Mix half the flour, the sourdough starter, sugar, warm water, and 2 egg yolks. Knead for 15 minutes until smooth, then mix in 70g of softened butter. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 12 hours until tripled in size.

2. Second Dough: Add the remaining flour, sugar, 2 egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest to the first dough. Knead until an elastic, stretchy dough forms. Work in the remaining 80g of softened butter until completely incorporated.

3. Incorporate Fruits: Gently fold the drained raisins and diced candied orange peel evenly into the smooth dough.

4. Final Rise: Shape the dough into a ball and drop it into a tall, paper panettone mold. Let it rise undisturbed in a warm, draft-free room for 12–14 hours until the dome reaches the top edge of the paper mold.

5. Bake: Score a shallow cross on the top dome with a razor and place a tiny pat of butter in the center. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 45 minutes.

6. Hang and Cool: Skewer the bottom of the baked panettone with metal needles immediately upon removal from the oven and hang it upside down over a large pot for 12 hours. This prevents the rich, fragile crumb from collapsing while cooling.

Optional Variations

• Panettone al Cioccolato: Replace the traditional raisins and candied citrus peels entirely with sweet dark chocolate chunks for a modern twist favored by children.

Cooking Tips

• Hanging the panettone upside down after baking is non-negotiable. The high percentage of butter and egg yolks creates an incredibly delicate structure that will sink and compact if cooled upright.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 360 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 54g

• Protein: 7g

• Fat: 13g

• Sodium: 180mg