Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (2024)

Course: Dessert
Occasion: Christmas
Theme: Comfort Food

    Ingredients

  • 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast OR 15g fresh yeast
  • 400g strong white bread flour
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 2 large free-range eggs plus 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 175g unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
  • 75g large sultanas
  • 50g candied orange and lemon peel, finely chopped
  • 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • About 40g unsalted butter, to finish

    Directions

  1. If using dried yeast: mix about 125g of the weighed flour with the yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, and make a well in the centre; beat the whole eggs with the water and pour into the well.
  2. If using fresh yeast: mix 125g of the flour with the sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, and make a well in the centre. Beat the whole eggs until broken up, then add to the well. Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm water, mix thoroughly and pour into the well.
  3. Using your hand or the dough hook attachment of the mixer, mix the flour into the liquid to make a thick, smooth batter. Sprinkle a little of the remaining weighed flour over the top of the batter to prevent a skin from forming, then leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until the batter is very bubbly.
  4. Stir the egg yolks, vanilla and the grated zests into the batter using your hand or the dough hook (on the lowest speed). Gradually work in 175g of the remaining flour plus the salt to make a soft and very sticky dough.
  5. Add the soft butter and work it in by squeezing the dough through your fingers, or beating on the same low speed, until the butter is thoroughly incorporated and there are no streaks.
  6. Turn out the dough onto a floured worktop and knead thoroughly by hand for 10 minutes, or with the dough hook for 3 – 4 minutes, working in the remainder of the weighed flour to make a dough that is satiny soft and very pliable, but not sticky. Depending on the flour, you may not need it all or you may need a little more.
  7. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a snap-on lid or clingfilm or slip the bowl into a large plastic bag. Leave to rise at normal, or just slightly warm, room temperature until doubled in size – 2 to 2 ½ hours. Don’t leave in a sunny or very warm spot or the butter will begin to melt.
  8. Uncover the dough and punch down to deflate. Cover the bowl and leave to rise as before until doubled in size again – this time it will take 1 to 1 ½ hours.
  9. Meanwhile, combine the sultanas with the chopped peels and chocolate in a small bowl and toss with a teaspoon of flour (this helps prevent clumps in the dough).
  10. Finish preparing the tin: slip a paper panettone liner into the buttered tin, or line the base and sides with a double layer of greaseproof paper; the paper should extend 5cm above the height of the tin. Wrap a strip of foil or newspaper around the outside of the tin, again 5cm above the rim, and tie in place with string.
  11. Punch down the risen dough, then turn out onto a floured worktop. Sprinkle the fruit and chocolate mixture over the dough and work in very gently with floured hands until evenly distributed.
  12. Shape the dough into a ball and gently drop it into the prepared tin. With the tip of a long, sharp knife cut a cross in the top of the dough. Lay a sheet of clingfilm lightly across the top of the tin – don’t stretch it – and leave to rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  13. Towards the end of the rising time preheat the oven to 390F. When ready to bake, set aside a knob (about 15g) of the butter for finishing and melt the rest. Brush half the melted butter over the risen dough and put the knob of butter in the centre of the cross.
  14. Bake for 10 minutes or until just starting to color, then brush again with melted butter. Reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for a further 40 minutes or until a good golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  15. Remove from the oven and set the tin on a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes to allow the very fragile crust of the panettone to firm up a bit, then very gently unmold the loaf. Remove the liner or greaseproof paper lining and place the panettone on its side on the rack.
  16. Leave to cool completely before slicing. (The best way to cool a panettone – once unmolded – is to put it in an old-fashioned, clean string bag and suspend from a hook or jelly-bag stand.

Tips/Techniques

1 x panettone mould or a 15cm round, deep cake tin, greased with melted butter; a paper panettone liner or greaseproof paper.
(Taken from The Great British Bake Off How to Bake – written by Linda Collister)

Tags: Baking Recipes, britishbakingshowrecipes, Masterclass Recipes

Presented by:

Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (4)

Produced by:

Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (5)

Support for this program provided by:

Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (6)Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (7)Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (8)

Panettone Recipe | PBS Food (2024)

FAQs

What is the best flour for panettone? ›

It seems that your Italian 00 or Canadian flour suits this best. For Panettone, it will undergo a lengthy, 2 day fermentation process with a sourdough starter. 1st fermentation will take around 13 to 14 hours, whereby more flour and eggs, etc..... will be added and it will undergo a further 10 hour fermentation.

What makes a good panettone? ›

Aroma: The smell from your panettone should hit you as soon as you cut into it. This will be down to using good quality ingredients like Madagascan vanilla and local citrus fruit. Taste: Good panettone will be rich and buttery, with a great golden colour to match.

What gives panettone its distinct flavor? ›

The 'mother yeast' gives the bread its irreplaceable texture and sweet, almost imperceptibly-tangy flavour. It also means that each bakery's panettone has its own specific flavour.

How do they make panettone? ›

Panettone is usually made with sourdough starter but modern recipes use instant yeast to make a sponge which speeds along the process without sacrificing flavor. If you don't have instant yeast you can use dry active yeast but keep in mind you may have to let your dough rise for longer to double in size.

What is the secret of panettone? ›

Panettone is famous for its tangy flavor and yellow, soft and gooey dough that is unlike no other. The secret behind it is an Italian yeast called lievito madre, or mother yeast. But it's not an easy yeast to work with: you need time and patience to master it.

Is pizza flour good for panettone? ›

Panettone Recipe. For panettone's tall structure you do need at least a medium protein flour with 10% protein. This is called baker's flour or bread and pizza flour and can be found at the supermarket and at specialty stores.

Why do you turn panettone upside down? ›

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.

Why is panettone so hard to make? ›

While no sourdough baking processes can be considered “simple”, panettone is definitely takes complications to the extreme, with an unusual levain maintenance method (“pasta madre”, or mother dough), two dough builds (the “primo” and “secondo impastos”), and the necessity for exacting temperature and pH control ...

Should you butter panettone? ›

Panettone can be eaten in a variety of ways. It's commonly sliced and enjoyed as is, but it can also be toasted, buttered, used in desserts like bread pudding, or even paired with savoury dishes.

What does panettone mean in English? ›

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.

What is the most expensive panettone in the world? ›

The most expensive panettone in the world, since the world has existed, is produced by a pastry shop in Carmagnola, a small municipality. It is worth 700 thousand euros as it is completely covered with gold and diamonds. Her destiny was not to end up in a jewelry store (perhaps Tiffany's), but at an Indian table.

What is a panettone without fruit called? ›

Actually, panettone has a very important rival, which is pandoro. Pandoro comes from Verona and is a sweet yeast bread without candied fruits and raisins. It is taller than panettone and has a 8-pointed star section.

Why is panettone so expensive? ›

Pastry chefs view panettone as the Everest of confections. Making it happen is terribly hard. It requires a lot of time, skill, and ingredients. Panettone tends to be a little more expensive than most other baked goods.

Why is panettone so special? ›

It is made during a long process that involves curing the dough, which is acidic, similar to sourdough. The proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffy characteristics.

What are some fun facts about panettone? ›

Panettone is Hung Upside Down After Baking

Once traditional panettone is finished baking, it is flipped upside down until it's completely cool. This eye-catching technique prevents the bread from falling in on itself and keeps the soft and fluffy texture.

What is the best flour to use for Italian bread? ›

Flour: Tipo 00 is a finely ground Italian flour that is considered the gold standard for pizza, pasta, and bread dough.

What is the best flour for baking in Italy? ›

Type 0 Flour

Type 0 is the ultimate “medium-strength” flour, with W-value consistently between 180-240. It's fit for most baked goods, from cakes to most types of bread, though the results can be mixed in the hands of an untrained baker.

Can you use 00 flour for panettone? ›

For long fermented doughs such as panettone the flour will be '00' but with a stronger gluten content than the '00' flour they'll sell for pizza or pasta making. An all-purpose flour can also be '00'.

What flour do Italians use for cakes? ›

For cookies, bars, cakes/cupcakes, biscuits, scones, or anything that needs a tender crumb, use Farina di grano tenero, 00. This is your “cake flour.” Nobody wants a chewy cake.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Van Hayes

Last Updated:

Views: 6156

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Van Hayes

Birthday: 1994-06-07

Address: 2004 Kling Rapid, New Destiny, MT 64658-2367

Phone: +512425013758

Job: National Farming Director

Hobby: Reading, Polo, Genealogy, amateur radio, Scouting, Stand-up comedy, Cryptography

Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.