Breads and Pizza

Panettone

Have you ever successfully made a recipe several times and suddenly, it flops?  That is exactly what happened to my Panettone recipe.  My daughter-in-law made it recently and it did not raise properly.  Just to confirm that there wasn’t an error in the recipe as written, I immediately made a batch – same recipe I have made many, many times, and it did not raise properly – it was jinxed!!  I made 4 different loaves in one week, tweaking the original recipe here and there, until I made one that raised perfectly and tasted delicious.  Unfortunately, I did not solve the mystery of why a good recipe went bad.  But I can assure you, that this recipe works……for now!

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Panettone

Makes one 9×5 inch Loaf Pan
Panettone, an Italian sweet bread filled with citron, fruits and nuts, originated in Milan. If you google Panettone recipes, you will find many different recipes, one more complicated than the next. This recipe is not complicated, and it is nothing like the mass-produced Panettone available around the holidays. No special pans or molds; it is baked in a loaf pan. It wasn’t until Panettone became commercially produced that it took on its domed shape. Traditionally, Panettone was made with candied citron, orange peel, and golden raisins. My Mom always made it with candied fruit mix. Panettone makes delicious toast and bread pudding. We love this traditional Christmas bread and enjoy it year-round – no reason not to with this easy, fool-proof recipe!
Author Rosalie D’Amico

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons anise seed
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1” pieces
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon pure anise extract
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons dry Marsala (you can substitute 2 tablespoons of milk for the Marsala)
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
  • ¼ cup each candied citron and candied orange peel
  • ½ cup cubed traditional fruit mix

Instructions

  • Add flour, sugar, salt, anise seed and yeast to a stand mixer bowl and stir together to combine.
  • Heat butter and milk together until butter is melted. I use the microwave for this. Cool the mixture to 115° before proceeding.
  • Add the beaten eggs, anise, vanilla, Marsala and cooled butter/milk mixture to bowl of dry ingredients. Using the flat beater, mix together, scraping bowl as needed, until combined. Turn mixer to medium speed and beat for 5 minutes.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let raise in a warm, draft free place for 2 hours. This is a timed raise.
  • Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • When dough has risen, toss fruit and pine nuts in a little flour and add to dough. Mix well. Turn into prepared pan. Smooth the dough and push to the edges of the pan.
  • Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and let rise again for 1 hour. The dough should be right at the top of the pan. Don’t over raise it.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350° convection.
  • Sprinkle top with sanding sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick tests clean. I use the probe on my Thermopen as my “toothpick”. Cover loosely with foil if Panettone is getting too brown. The internal temperature will be 185 to 190°.

Notes

If you don’t like candied fruit, substitute dried fruits, such as apricots or cherries. I often use Sultanas or golden raisins.