🇮🇹 Italian · Dessert
🎄 Panettone
Panettone
Milan's towering Christmas bread, its naturally leavened dough studded with candied fruit and raisins, requiring days of patient fermentation to achieve its signature airy, silky crumb.
True panettone relies on a mother yeast culture built up over days, and even simplified home versions need multiple long rises to develop the tall, feather-light texture that separates a genuine panettone from an ordinary sweet bread.
Ingredients
Equipment: Panettone paper mold, Stand mixer, Two long skewers for cooling
- 500 g (4 cups) bread flour
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
- 150 g (⅔ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 120 ml (½ cup) warm milk
- 10 g (3 tsp) active dry yeast
- 150 g (1 cup) candied orange and citron peel, chopped
- 100 g (⅔ cup) raisins, soaked in warm water
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 g (1 tsp) salt
Method
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of the sugar, and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a stand mixer, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt, then add the eggs, yolks, and yeast mixture, kneading into a smooth dough.
- Gradually knead in the softened butter, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and the dough is elastic and glossy.
- Add the citrus zest and vanilla, then let rise, covered, in a warm place for 3-4 hours until doubled.
- Gently fold in the drained raisins and candied peel.
- Shape into a ball and place in a panettone paper mold, then let rise again for 4-6 hours until it reaches near the top of the mold.
- Score a cross on top and bake at 180C (350F) for 40-50 minutes, tenting with foil if it browns too quickly, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Immediately upon removing from the oven, pierce the base with two long skewers and hang the panettone upside down to cool completely, which prevents it from collapsing.
- Once fully cooled, remove the skewers and store or slice to serve.
Chef Tips
- Hanging the panettone upside down immediately after baking is essential -- without this, the tall, delicate structure will collapse as it cools.
- This bread genuinely requires patience across multiple long rises; rushing any stage results in a denser, less characteristic texture.
- A paper panettone mold, rather than a regular pan, helps support the dough's dramatic rise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the upside-down cooling step, which causes the tall structure to collapse.
- Rushing the rises, resulting in a dense loaf rather than the signature airy, pull-apart crumb.
- Underbaking, which can leave the center gummy given how tall and enriched the dough is.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A source of protein from the eggs, best enjoyed as a festive, occasional treat.
Cultural Note
Panettone is inseparable from Italian Christmas, its origins tied to Milan, and it has become one of Italy's most recognized culinary exports worldwide during the holiday season.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Reheating: Not applicable; served at room temperature, though a light toast is popular for leftover slices.
Serve with: Mascarpone cream, A glass of sweet Moscato