Panettone
Starter
200 g Bread flour
120 g Water, room temp
4 g Instant yeast or 8g fresh yeast
4 g Salt
Fruit Mixture
250 g Dried raisins
200 g Candied orange peels, diced or 5 orange zest
200 g Cadied lemon peels, diced or 3 lemon zest
80 g Dark rum or oange juice
Mixing Dough
300 g Starter
30 g Instant yeast or 60g fresh yeast
700 g Bread flour
190 g Sugar
5 g Vanilla extract, paste or seeds for bean
14 g Salt
225 g Milk, chilled
225 g Egg yolks, chilled
300 g Butter, room temp
730 g Marinated fruit mixture
Egg Wash
50 g Egg, beaten with a pinch of salt – sieve
History
1 Panettone is the traditional Italian Christmas cake par excellence, and its birth is
attributed to the city of Milan in the Middle Ages, although there are many legends
surrounding its history. Whatever its origins, panettone is now highly regarded
throughout Italy, France and the rest of the world – particularly as a gift at Christmas.
Ultimately, it is baked in a 6.7x4½ inch (17x11.5cm) tall cylindrical paper mold, which
gives the panettone its signature tall, round shape. You can also use a coffee can or a
7x3 inch (18x7.5cm) or individual paper molds.
The cake usually is best eaten a day after it has been baked. It can be enjoyed alone or
paired with many drinks. Its flavor and texture also make it ideal for French toast, savory
nougat (see recipe) and bread pudding.
Makes Three 1.7 lb. (800g) or 30 Individual Panettone / 2.6 ounces each (80g). Make 4
days Ahead.
Fruit Mixture
2 Make a day ahead or weeks if using rum. Combine all ingredients together and
refrigerate overnight.
Starter
3 In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine water, yeast, flour and salt.
Mix in low speed for 3 minutes and 5 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Form a
ball and transfer dough to a greased container, cover with plastic wrap or wet kitchen
towel and let rise until it has triple in size for about 3 hours. Punch down the dough and
shape into a ball and refrigerate overnight. Take the starter out and let sit on the counter
for 2 hours prior mixing dough.
Mixing Dough
4
4
Use a heavy duty mixer with a 7qt/L bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with the hook
attachment, pour in milk, egg yolks, vanilla, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast. Mix for 3 minutes
on low speed. Add starter and mix for another 5 minutes on low speed. Stop mixer and
scrape down the sides of the bowl with a dough scraper. Increase the speed to medium
and knead for 10 minutes more, scraping down the sides of the bowl as often as
necessary; it prevents dough from overheating during a long kneading time. Add butter
and mix on low speed for 10 minutes more or until completely smooth. Add the chilled
marinated dried fruits; mix until just combined.
Fermentation & Shaping
5 Cover mixer bowl with a wet kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise for 3 hours
or until it has tripled in size. The dough can however sit in the refrigerator overnight to be
baked the day after but it will take more than 10 hours to proof.
Deflate dough on the countertop without the use of extra flour. Divide into desired sizes.
Shape into tight rounds and place in greased paper mold.
Let proof, covered for about 2 hours at 77ºF (25ºC).
Baking
6 Position the rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180ºC) with an
upside down baking tray inside. Lower temperature to 325ºF (160ºC) if using a
convection oven. For a glossy finish, brush top with egg wash and carefully score the top
panettone using a razor blade or a sharp knife and add a chunk of butter in the center if
desired.
For individual panettone, cut top using scissors, sprinkle some pearl sugar and drizzle
some egg wash to get a bursting effect.
Place large panettone on a baking tray and bake for about 35 minutes (bake no more
than 2 panettone at the time).
Pierce the just-out-of-the-oven (large panettone only) with 2 large and thick bamboo
skewers and hanging it upside down; it keeps the panettone from collapsing while it
cools; it will take a few hours at room temperature. Better served a day after. Panettone
can keep for a couple of weeks wrapped and put it in a sealed container. Buon appetito!
