Panetonne ~ Italian Christmas Bread Made Easy
You see them on every grocery shelf when the holidays come around. That big, fluffy bread encased in pretty plastic that looks more like a dome than a loaf. If you’ve never tried panetonne, it’s a rich Italian bread that’s often freckled with candied fruit and raisins. Sometimes chocolate chips or nuts are used. It’s a coffee time staple not only in Italy, but in many other parts of Europe. Even though it is known as a holiday treat, panetonne is sold and consumed year round in many parts of the world.
Traditional Panetonne: Low And Slow
Making traditional panetonne requires a few days. You need to make a starter that usually involves yeast, water, flour and sugar. By the next day the starter is active and added to a dough made with milk, eggs, butter, flour, sugar and flavourings. It then proofs overnight in a low and slow (cooler) environment to achieve the right texture and tang. Then you add the mix ins—anything from raisins to candied fruits to chocolate chips—and the dough has to rise yet again.
But if you wanted to try making your own panetonne this holiday season, you likely don’t have the time for this process of proofing. That’s why I am sharing my faster recipe with you today. While it might not meet the technical standards of a trained panetonne master, I am quite sure you will still be a hero to whoever gets to enjoy it.
The Dough
Using a stand mixer will make this dough easy, but if you are working by hand you will have a better feel for how much flour to add. Add enough to make the dough manageable, but don’t add so much that it becomes dry. The dough should stick to the kneading surface a little bit, so working with a bench scraper is essential. The longer you knead it, the less sticky it will become. Expect 8-10 minutes of kneading time.
CANDIED FRUIT (TUTTI FRUTTI) RECIPE HERE.
CANDIED ORANGE PEELS RECIPE HERE.
Baking It
This recipe works for a 7 or 8 inch round pan, but I often use a 6 inch for an ultra high bread. You can prepare it by greasing with butter or lining with parchment paper. Italian specialty shops often carry paper panetonne moulds which makes giving these as gifts that much more enticing.
Another fun way to bake this is to create a DIY mould with a brown paper bag. Be sure however that it is absolutely no less than 6 inches in diameter when the sides are rolled down and the bottom is flat. Any narrower and your panetonne will collapse in the middle and be completely hollow.
The last step calls for a slathering of egg wash before baking. Even though I am a huge fan of the deep golden, shiny top this produces, it’s not an essential step. Commercially some panettone have it and others don’t, so it’s a personal preference.
I hope you will try this easier, faster track version of panettone yourself not only during this holiday season, but anytime of the year. It’s also perfect for Easter, but I could enjoy it on any given day in June. Try it with other mix ins like chocolate chips and nuts. Or with cranberries and candied ginger…after all, it’s your masterpiece!
| Prep Time | 20 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 50-55 Minutes |
| Passive Time | 4 Hours |
| Servings |
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- 3/4 Cup Raisins
- 2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier, Brandy or your favourite liquor Optional
- 1/3 cup milk, lukewarm 80 ml.
- 2 1/4 teaspoons Active dry yeast 7 g.
- 1 teaspoon sugar 4 g.
- 1/2 cup butter 113 g.
- 1/4 cup sugar 52 g.
- 3 eggs Room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons Canola oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 - 3/4 cups All purpose flour 410 g.
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 5 g.
- 1/4 Cup Mixed candied fruit
- 1/4 Cup Candied citrus peel Chopped
Ingredients
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- A few hours before (or the night before), combine the raisins with your favourite liquor. Cover and allow to marinate until liquor has soaked into the raisins. *THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO ADD LIQUOR, PROCEED TO STEP 2.*
- In a small bowl combine milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well and allow to bloom for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter with the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Crack one of the eggs and beat well. Save about 1 tablespoon for brushing on top of panetonne before baking. Add remaining egg plus the other 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oil along with vanilla, orange and almond extracts. Mix until well combined.
- Add yeast mixture and beat until well blended.
- Add 2 cups flour and salt. Stir to form a very sticky batter. Add more flour gradually to form a very soft but manageable dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. Add only enough flour as needed; the less flour the better. Dough should be quite sticky but will become more manageable the more it is kneaded.
- Add raisins, candied fruit and peel and knead until well combined. Grease bowl and place dough inside, tossing to coat well. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
- Grease a 7 or 8 inch round pan and line with parchment or panetonne mould (you can also use a brown paper bag). Shape dough into a tight ball and place in prepared pan, mould or bag. Cover and allow to rise another hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brush top of panetonne with the reserved egg. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until panetonne is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool for 10 minutes before turning out of pan.
When cooling panetonne, it is common to poke skewers through the sides and mount it on 2 supports so it can hang upside down. This helps keep it nice and tall.
If you don't want to use raisins or candied fruits, try chocolate chips and/or nuts instead.