We are already almost at the end of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner. One of the best seasons to spend time with family, do shopping, watch football, and eat best food. I just cant forget how I always wait to eat perfectly browned turkey, green beans or cheesy potato casserole and roasted potatoes, and amazing desserts with my family and friends.
But with this pandemic, Thanksgiving and Christmas is all going to be different this year. A virtual dinner gathering for Thanksgiving or Christmas party is what we feel is the beautiful and best way to celebrate this year. It is always good to stay safe. This is what I recommend even to my family and friends. But if you really want to host events, make sure you do it outdoors with people from local areas and minimal attendees.
Coming back to Panettone cake Pannetone or Panetonne is an Italian cake like sweet bread, originally from Milan, started off as luxury cake and prepared and enjoyed during occasions like Christmas and New Year. I like to eat it the way it is. My husband loves it toasted with some butter and a cup of coffee, mocha or tea for morning breakfast or even as a snack. But there are several ways in which this cake dessert or bread can be served. Toast slices and serve it on cheese board. It’s taste and texture makes it great for pudding or French toast. This can also be served as a dessert with pumpkin dipping sauce or even with caramel, chocolate, or maple syrup during Christmas or Thanksgiving parties.
Panettone is from city of Milan and Pandoro is Christmas dessert originated from city of Verona. Both are popular dessert bread from Italy. Panettone is made with candied fruits, while Pandoro is without the candied fruits and nuts and is sweeter and taller than Panettone. Brioche is type of bun from French origin and Panettone is soft, Italian yeast brioche with candied fruits and raisins specially prepared during Christmas.
I tried this bread for the first time at ALDI during holiday season, my favorite store for shopping. We finished off more than half of the bread loaf in half-day time. The taste, texture, flavor, and the shape was new to me. I brought it home the second time very next day. We were very curious to know how this cake like bread is made and I started my search. And like any other recipe, I came across several different recipes for panettone, some even with sourdough starter. I actually had very bad experience with the sourdough starter. The smell is just awful. So I continued to search for recipes that did not use sourdough starter to make this bread.
After watching Chef Bruno Albouze prepare this dish, I gained some confidence and I decided to bake this. I was ready for failure too. It happens for everyone right? I decided to make it for Christmas only if this turns out to be successful project. Yes a project because this panettone needs at least two days. First day to prepare the starter and let it rest in refrigerator for at least 10 hours and use it in the dough the next day. Rest everything is pretty simple. I have used candied fruits and raisins without soaking it in any liqueur or fruit juice. If you like additional flavors you can soak it overnight and refrigerate. I have mentioned it in my recipe.
One more strange thing that I was asked to do was to put the bread upside down and pierce it with bamboo or metal skewers as soon as it is out of the oven. This is mainly done to avoid the bread from collapsing. I really did not know how this is going to work. Therefore, I baked one large panettone and 12 individual servings. The skewers thing actually worked. It did not tear my bread apart 🙂 But the individual portions were also a great hit. To make large panettones, bakeable panettone paper moulds are available online. But, I did the molds at home by myself and for smaller individual servings, I used my cupcake pans.
Cut 3 inch circle of parchment paper and measure its circumference. Cut another piece of parchment paper 6 inches high and length of measurement of circumference. This may be around 6 inches by 10 inches. Make a glue with 1 tablespoon of flour and 2 tablespoon of water. Make round tube with 6 inches 10 inches parchment paper and glue the edges together. Put the circle parchment paper at the bottom of the tube, glue it and let this dry overnight. Your mold is ready. Before baking make sure you place the mold on baking tray or silicon mat and then pout the batter. If you do not have mold or parchment paper, you can still bake this using deep round cake pan or a spring form pan.
Homemade panettone remains fresh for 4 days up to a week at room temperature wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Cut them into slices and allow it to firm. Once slices are firm, place it in a resalable container and freeze it up to 1 month. Only egg yolks are used in the recipe. Egg whites can be stored in fridge for up to 2 days or you can freeze it up to 1 month. You can use it in any recipe desired. One of my favorite is Pavlova - an Australian Christmas dessert. Let me know which method you have used to bake this delicious dessert. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas 2020. Stay Safe.
If you like breads or cakes that use fruits, then check out - classic and best Christmas cake, eggless Christmas Rum and Raisin cake, easy pineapple upside-down cake, crowd-pleaser fruit bread, etc.
Recipe card
If you like this Italian Dessert Bread, Panettone,
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