Traditional Italian Panettone

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Inactive Time: 22 hours
Yield: 8-10

Recipe by: Cooking with Manuela

Soft, airy and fragrant Italian sweet bread - a must-have Italian tradition

Make This Recipe

Ingredients

AROMATIC MIX:

1 cup (150 gr) raisins (and/or candied orange peel)

1/4 cup (60 ml) rum (or warm water)

FIRST DOUGH (starter):

1/2 cup (60 gr) bread flour

1 packet (0.25 oz, 7 gr) active dry yeast

1/4 cup (60 ml) warm milk

1 teaspoon honey

SECOND DOUGH:

1/3 cup (80 ml) water

3 1/4 cups (400 gr) bread flour

4 Eggland's Best Large Eggs

THIRD DOUGH:

1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar

2 Eggland's Best Large Egg Yolks

6 oz (170 gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or extract)

2 large oranges, zest

Buy Recipe

Preparation

AROMATIC MIX: In a small bowl, soak the raisins with rum (or warm water if you prefer). Set aside for later.
FIRST DOUGH (starter): In a small bowl, add the biga ingredients. Mix with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
SECOND DOUGH: Transfer the starter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add water and bread flour. Mix together at low speed.
Add the 4 eggs one at a time, until each is incorporated. Continue mixing at medium speed for at least 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and starts to wrap around the paddle.
Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for at least 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Remove the butter from the fridge, cut into cubes, and let stand at room temperature to soften.
THIRD DOUGH: Add the sugar and 2 egg yolks to the prepared dough. Mix at low speed until smooth.
Add the butter one piece at a time, until each is incorporated. Add the salt, orange zest and vanilla paste and mix some more.
Mix at low-medium speed for at least 20 more minutes, until the dough is smooth and strong (still sticky).
Drain the raisins and discard the liquid. Add to the dough and mix for one or two minutes, until combined.
Turn the dough onto the clean counter (no flour), and with your wet or lightly oily hands fold the dough onto itself several times. If the dough is too sticky to handle, let it stand on the counter for five minutes.
Using both hands, roll it around to make it into a ball. Place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic and let rise until tripled in size, 4 to 6 hours in the oven (turned off) with the light on, and then in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
Turn the dough onto the counter. Fold a few more times and roll with both hands into a smooth ball.
Place inside a panettone paper mold (1 kg size) and let rise in the oven, with light on for 3 to 4 hours until the dough reaches half an inch from the top.
Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
Careful not to deflate the dough, score an X across the top of the panettone using a sharp blade (or knife). Place a small cube of butter in the middle and place in the lower part of the preheated oven. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. After the first 30 minutes check the panettone and cover loosely with aluminum foil if the top is already brown.
After 45 minutes, place a thermometer in the middle, center part of the panettone. Continue baking until the inner temperature reaches 197F (92C). Baking time should be around 50 to 60 minutes in total.
Remove from the oven, and pierce two skewers all the way through the panettone (through the paper), parallel to each other, about 2-3 inches apart and about 1 inch from the bottom. Place the panettone upside down inside an extra large pot, hanging from the skewers and not touching the bottom.
Let stand like this for at least 6 hours, until cooled completely.

Nutrition

Information per Serving
Serving Size	1 slice
Calories	450
Fat	17.4g
Saturated Fat	9.9g
Cholesterol	153mg
Sodium	134mg
Carbohydrates	63mg
Dietary Fiber	2.8g
Protein	9.3g