Everything you need to know about artisanal Panettone.

What is panettone? Artisan or industrial panettone, or panetùn, is nothing more than a sweet, leavened dough filled with candied fruit, usually orange, and raisins. But fundamentally, it is the King of Lombard sweets, and in general, the dessert Sovereign of the Christmas festivities in Italy, competing every year for the coveted throne with Pandoro. In fact, panettone is indeed a sweet of Lombard origin, but it is so good that it is now found not only on tables throughout Italy but even around the world, especially in Argentina and Brazil.

Preparing panettone at home is somewhat of a challenge. It is not very easy to make, also because it is an activity that requires time and a certain amount of attention, but there are more and more budding pastry chefs who decide to try their hand at making this sweet bread, perhaps involving the rest of the family to share a nice experience together.
In any case, today we will explain how to prepare an excellent panettone at home. Be warned: you will need to arm yourself with patience and time because panetùn requires rather lengthy leavening times. So tie on your apron, timer in hand, and let's get started!
But first, let's start with some trivia: let's see the origins of panettone.

The History of Artisan Panettone, the Legends Surrounding the Origin of the Sweet

Even today, “in Milan” it is possible to find professional pastry chefs who are engaged in the artisanal production of this sweet, thus carrying on this tradition that has now become national. But the origins of panettone, exactly, what are they? Let's say that they sometimes fade into legend, so much so that there are different opinions about it. The only certainty is that panettone was born in the Middle Ages and is linked to the tradition of the time of preparing, on the occasion of Christmas, very rich breads that were distributed by the head of the family to the guests at the table.

According to the most famous legend, the origins of this sweet date back to the time of the court of Ludovico il Moro, the great Lord of Milan in the 15th century. It was Christmas Eve when the cook was commissioned to prepare a sumptuous meal that would be attended by numerous esteemed guests. The cook, all busy in the kitchen, forgot the dessert in the oven and completely burned it. Fortunately, in the kitchen was a very quick-witted kitchen helper, Toni, who to alleviate the cook's woes made a proposal. With what remained in the pantry, namely flour, butter, eggs, and a bit of raisins and candied cedar peel, that morning he had prepared a soft and delicate sweet. He then proposed to the cook to serve it at the table, hoping no one would notice anything. The diners were astonished by the goodness of the sweet. When they finally asked the cook what it was, he simply replied: “It is the pan del Toni”, from which today we get panettone.

According to another story, the credit would all go to Ughetto degli Atellani, a falconer who lived in the Contrada delle Grazie in Milan. In love with the daughter of a baker, he got himself hired by her father as an apprentice. One day, to impress him, he tried to create a new sweet to increase sales. He used what he had available: flour, eggs, butter, honey, and sultana raisins. Then he baked it, and it was a success.

Clearly, it is not up to us to determine which of the two versions is the most correct, but one thing is certain: panettone has made the history of Italian pastry and what can we say, whoever invented it we can only be grateful!

The Recipe for Panettone

Panettone is not a very simple sweet to make, quite the opposite. There are many processes, and attention must be paid to every little factor and step. Furthermore, this sweet needs a double dough (and thus a double effort).
Ingredients for the first dough:
Manitoba flour 250 g
Sourdough 65 g
Room temperature water 125 g
Butter 70 g
Sugar 65 g
Malt 2 g
Egg yolks 50 g
Second dough:
Manitoba flour 65 g
Sugar 50 g
Butter 40 g
Egg yolks 50 g
Sultana raisins 150 g
Fine salt 2 g
Vanilla pod 1
Acacia honey 16 g
Candied cedar 30 g
Candied orange 70 g
Additional butter will be needed for the surface.

First dough: in a large bowl, pour in the malt, sugar, and water. Mix until the sugar dissolves, then pour the liquid into the mixer and add the flour all at once, kneading. After about 5 minutes, add the sourdough (refreshed 3 times during the day) and continue kneading. Separately, begin to work the butter and yolks. Transfer the soft butter to a bowl, working it with a whisk, and when it becomes creamy, add half of the yolks, then mix well. Then add the remaining yolks and continue mixing until you achieve a homogeneous emulsion. When the dough is well-dry, add the butter and yolk emulsion, then work until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough, and then transfer it to a work surface where you will need to shape the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 12 hours at a temperature of around 26°C until the dough is three times its original size.

Second dough: take the already leavened first dough and transfer it to the mixer. Add the flour and start kneading at moderate speed, letting it absorb. Then add the honey, the seeds from the vanilla pod, and incorporate by kneading. Separately, prepare another mixture of butter and yolks as done for the first dough.
When the mass becomes elastic and soft, turn off the mixer and add the sugar and a pinch of salt, then start kneading for about five minutes, then add the butter and yolk emulsion in two batches. Separately, chop the raisins (previously soaked, drained, and squeezed), candied cedar, and candied orange, then add to the dough, then turn the mixer back on at moderate speed to incorporate the fruit. At this point, turn off the machine and let the dough rest for about 20 more minutes in the mixer, covering the bowl with a cloth. Once done, transfer the mass to a surface and let it rest for about half an hour at room temperature, even without covering it.

Final stage: at this point, take the dough and transfer it into a 1 kg paper mold, shaping it into a ball. Preheat the oven to 35°C and turn it off, then cover the panettone with a glass dome and let it rise in the oven for 6-8 hours. Once done, uncover the panettone and let it air for about half an hour, then use a knife to score the surface and place a piece of butter in the center of the previously made cross. Bake at 175°C in a static oven for 50 minutes, then take it out. At this point, you will need to let it cool upside down overnight: poke it with 2 steel rods on the two outer edges and secure the ends on two bowls of the same height, thus keeping it elevated. And that's it! The next day, all you have to do is enjoy it and perhaps try to make it again (if you are brave enough) creating many new variations: pears and walnuts, pistachio, chocolate, with icing… In short, all that's left is to try!

Artisan Panettone, what to drink with it and how to best enjoy it?

Once the panettone is ready, you just need to enjoy it! Serve it on a pedestal, rather than on a plate, to make it more scenic at the time of cutting and perhaps accompany it with a good spoon cream, whether white or chocolate, or drizzled with a fruit and liquor sauce.

And speaking of fruit, remember that panettone should always be served first, and never with coffee, as good Csaba dalla Zorza teaches.
Instead, pair your slice of sweet with a good wine. Feel free to enjoy a good quality passito, a Vin Santo, or Malvasia, so as to have an original pairing yet still sweet and aromatic.
If you prefer something more sparkling, aim for something delicate and aromatic: a Prosecco Dry DOCG is great, but also try a Moscato d'Asti, a Franciacorta, or a Trento DOC.

Panettone can also be served with beer, just like in Belgium with dessert at the end of a meal, specifically aiming for aromatic and highly spiced beers, with fragrances in line with the holiday spirit. In these cases, we are talking about Christmas Beer. Generally though, with beers inspired by Belgian styles, you can never go wrong. The fruity and spiced notes are evident and will enrich the almond and citrus nuances of the panettone. If for your Christmas you want to opt for a cocoa variant, choose a beer with dark and deep notes, unfiltered. 

And if the panettone is for an afternoon snack, then pairing it with black tea is a must, but a good citrus-infused tea could also be a fitting solution.

And what if you don't feel like making panettone?

Valid question. Panettone requires many hours of leavening and work, not to mention a series of ingredients and tools that are not exactly cheap. But don't worry: you can find an excellent sweet even without making it at home. During the holidays, it's right to enjoy a bit of time in complete relaxation and tranquility (after all, it's the only moment of the year to do so!), so don’t feel guilty if you don't want to prepare it; you have many reasons for opting to buy it.
There are numerous artisan panettoni of the highest quality available in stores, with all possible and imaginable flavors. The only important thing is to learn to read the label. In fact, not all panettoni are of the same quality, and aiming for supermarket sweets also means running into a probable disappointment.
Nowadays, it is possible to buy artisan panettoni at quite convenient prices, so don’t get discouraged. First, check that the label mentions butter, one of the finest fats in pastry, rather than another type of fat. Also, if possible, check the leavening times, which, as we have seen, are quite lengthy, reaching about two to three days to achieve a well-made panettone.
Upon opening, the aroma should be intense and harmonious and the color a beautiful intense yellow. And, of course, don’t forget to cater to your tastes! Take a look at our selection of artisan panettoni for a holiday season focused on quality and 100% Italian flavor. Among all the available flavors, you won't be lacking in choice. The sweetness is guaranteed!

S&M