Panettone Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's so special about panettone? ›

The proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffy characteristics. It contains candied orange, citron, and lemon zest, as well as raisins, which are added dry and not soaked. Many other variations are available such as plain or with chocolate.

Bread flour, high in gluten, is ideal for panettone. Its high protein content gives the bread its signature fluffy and airy texture.

Pronounced "pah-net-taw-nee," Panettone is an Italian yeast-leavened bread, usually made with raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy.

Panettone tends to be a little more expensive than most other baked goods, mainly due to the amount of time that goes into making each one. A traditional panettone is usually a lengthy procedure, however, a cheap mass-produced alternative will take shortcuts in the baking process which will be reflected in its taste.

With a drink: In Italy, it's not uncommon to enjoy a slice of panettone alongside a cup of coffee or tea, or a sweet wine like Vin Santo. The idea is to tear a piece of the panettone and dip it into the drink, allowing the bread to soak up some of the liquid.

Artisanal panettone will have higher amounts of yolks and butter without emulsifiers or preservatives. They will contain real vanilla beans and not the cheaper vanillin. The fruit will be high quality candied citrus (not only orange, but often also pricier citron) and not industrial candied citrus with sulfur dioxide.

Why does Panettone last so long? Italy's favourite festive sweet bread lasts around 45 days if unopened due to the delicious butter content which ensures the dough stays softer for longer.

Panettone. The “big bread.” (Because this is what panettone just means, and yet and indeed it is The Big Thing when it comes to celebrating Christmas in Italy.)

noun. , plural pan·et·to·nes [pan-i-, toh, -neez], Italian pan·et·to·ni [pah-net-, taw, -nee]. an Italian yeast-leavened bread, traditionally eaten on holidays, usually made with raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy.

Do you put butter on panettone? ›

Slice panettone into thick or thin wedges; it's entirely up to you. If you baked it in a paper mold, just slice right through it. Panettone is more bread than cake—it's only slightly sweet. Feel free to eat it plain, or slather with butter.

The dimensions should be around 13,5 cm / 5.3 inch diameter and a height of 9.5 cm / 3.7 inch. Panetonne needs to cool upside down after baking, because the delicate and fluffy bread would collapse if you leave it standing up after baking.

Fat also keeps bread from staling too quickly—the fattier the bread, the slower its decay. Breads like focaccia, brioche, or panettone, made with large amounts of oil and butter, tend to have a longer shelf life.

The Aldi panettone is made by its in-house brand Winternacht (meaning winter night in German) and comes in two flavors: traditional or chocolate chip. The traditional is made with dried fruit—raisins and candied orange peel, in Aldi's case. And the Winternacht Panettone is made in Italy, so you know it's the real deal.

It is said that a baker in Milan wanted to make something special while making his traditional break but given the vast poverty at the time had only a few simple ingredients and to his traditional recipe added some candied fruit and raisins and panettone was born.

Instantly recognisable for its tall, domed shape, panettone is more a bread than a cake, its sweet dough studded with candied fruits and raisins. Popular worldwide, it's usually pinpointed for its two main associations: with Christmas and with Italy.