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A panettone studded with dried fruit on a silver platter with a couple of wedges cut from it.
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4.80 / 5 votes

Panettone

This panettone, a traditional Italian Christmas cake, is made with plenty of butter and dried fruits and nuts and is as flavorful as it is foolproof. It can also be customized given your fancy. Bake a couple large loaves in coffee cans or more smaller loaves in paper molds.
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 417

Equipment

  • Two coffee cans or 6-inch paper panettone baking molds OR four 4- to 5-inch paper panettone baking molds (price tags removed)

Ingredients

For the starter

  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the panettone

  • 1 cup raw nuts, such as shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus a few pinches
  • 4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping the dough
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest, preferably organic
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest, preferably organic
  • 1/2 cup candied orange and lemon rind, optional
  • 1 cup chopped dried fruit, such as cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans or molds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks, (whites reserved for glaze)
  • Mild vegetable oil, for the bowl
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the starter

  • In a small glass bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, flour, and sugar and stir to blend. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest until slightly bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Make the panettone

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (178°C).
  • Place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and spray them with water, sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt, and toast for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board to cool and then coarsely chop them.
  • In a bowl, combine the 1 teaspoon salt, the flour, lemon and orange zests, candied orange and lemon peel, if using, fruit, nuts, rum, and vanilla.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the eggs and yolks and beat well.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Gradually add the starter and continue to beat on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. The dough should not be sticky or too firm. It should look buttery and a little ragged.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes, pushing the dough away from you with the heels of your hands and then folding it back over on itself. The dough will be smooth and satiny.
  • Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, at least 2 hours.
  • Gently turn the dough onto a work surface and divide it into 4 equal pieces if making smaller loaves or into 2 pieces if making larger loaves. Carefully handle the dough so as to keep as much air in it as possible. Let the pieces rest, covered with a clean towel, for 10 minutes.
  • To make smaller panettone, butter four 1-pound coffee cans or butter 4- to 5-inch-wide deep parchment paper molds (available online and at baking stores).
    To make larger panettone, butter two 2-pound coffee cans.
  • Shape each portion of dough into a smooth ball and place it in a mold. Each mold should be about half full.
  • Beat the reserved egg whites and use the to brush the tops of the loaves. Cover and let the loaves rise until just slightly less than doubled, up to 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
  • Uncover the panettone, place them in the oven, and reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes is using smaller molds and up to 45 minutes for larger molds. The exact baking time will vary depending on the exact size of your cans or molds. The bread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (between 190° and 195°F [87°C to 90°C] on an instant-read thermometer).
  • Cool the panettone in the molds for 15 minutes and then carefully remove the loaves from the molds or cans and place them on wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

  1. Storage--Panettone will keep, tightly wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 week at room temperature, or can be frozen for up to 6 months.
  2. Check before baking--Before baking, make sure you don’t have any dried fruit sticking out of the dough, as they may burn during baking. If you do, gently push them into the dough.
  3. Baking--If your panettone is browning too quickly while baking, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g