Homemade Panettone Bread Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr
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Cook Time
55 mins
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Additional Time
1 d 16 hrs
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Servings
8
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Calories
510 kcal
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Cuisine
Italian-American Fussion
Homemade Panettone Bread Recipe
Description
This Homemade Panettone employs a detailed, multi-step process to build flavor and texture. Aromatics like honey, citrus zests, vanilla bean, and dark rum infuse over hours, while the biga starter ferments flour, sugar, and yeast overnight for enhanced acidity and structure. Subsequent dough phases incorporate additional flour, sugar, yeast, water, eggs, and butter, culminating in a rich dough studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips. This slow fermentation result is a bread with depth of flavor and a tender crumb.
The dough undergoes multiple mixing, resting, and proofing stages to develop elasticity and gluten strength, crucial for panettone's characteristic rise and airy texture. After baking, the bread is traditionally hung upside down to cool, preventing the delicate structure from collapsing. This bread is suited for slicing and enjoying as a holiday treat or special occasion dessert, where its sweet and aromatic profile stands out.
Preparation flexibility allows making the dough several days ahead to maximize freshness. The dough's fermentation profile can be influenced by fermentation times and temperatures, with longer fermentation intensifying flavors. Baking adjustments may be needed if browning occurs too rapidly to ensure even, thorough baking. The finished bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 days or refrigerated for up to 15 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
For the Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon honey
- orange zest from 2 oranges
- lemon zest of 1
- vanilla bean from 1 vanilla pod
- 1 ½ teaspoon dark rum
For the First Dough (Biga):
- 1/3 cup bread flour
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ active yeast packet
- 3 tablespoons water
For the Second Dough:
- 1 2/3 cup bread flour 2 tablespoons
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ active yeast packet
- ½ cup water
- DOUGH first dough
- 3 egg yolk
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
For the Third Dough:
- second dough
- ¾ cup bread flour 2 tablespoons
- ¾ teaspoon salt coarse
- 50 grams sugar
- 2 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips semi-sweet
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the honey, orange zest, lemon zest, vanilla beans from 1 vanilla pod, and rum. Cover with plastic and sit at room temperature for 10 to 24 hours.
- For the biga, the first dough, mix 1/3 cup of bread flour with 2 grams of sugar, ½ packet of yeast, and 3 tablespoons of water with a spoon in a bowl or container until combined and the flour is hydrated. Cover and set at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
- For the second dough, add to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment 1 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of bread flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the remaining ½ packet of yeast, and ½ cup of cold water and mix on low speed until combined, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add the biga and continue to mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in 1 egg at a time. Do not add the next egg until the one before is absorbed into the dough.
- Replace the paddle attachment with the hook attachment and then add in 4 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not add the next tablespoon of butter until the one before is absorbed in the dough. Once combined, knead for 4 to 5 minutes on low speed.
- Transfer the dough to a container with a lid and place in a warm place for 4 to 5 hours or until it at least doubles in size. It’s better if it tripled in size. See chef notes about proofing options.
- Add the risen dough to a stand mixer with the hook attachment along with ¾ teaspoon salt, the remaining ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of bread flour, and 1/3 cup of sugar and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are absorbed into the dough. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Like the process with the second dough, add the remaining egg yolks, and then the butter.
- Once mixed in, add the honey-citrus aromatics, knead on low speed until combined, and then knead for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface and carefully stretch it until it is roughly 12” to 14” inches wide by 18” inches in length.
- Evenly sprinkle 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips over the top of the dough.
- Then, fold the third bottom up to the center, and then wrap the top third over the top of the center of the dough.
- Sprinkle on ½ of the remaining chocolate chips over the dough.
- Fold the right part of the dough to the center, sprinkle on the remaining ½ of the chocolate chips over the folded dough, and then fold left over right.
- Using a bench knife, scrape under the dough while turning it to form a taught dough ball with the seams underneath.
- Transfer the dough to a panettone dough mold. Mine was 4 1/2“ inches deep by 7 ½” inches wide. Cover and sit at room temperature for 12-15 hours or in a cold oven with the door cracked and the oven light on for 8 to 10 hours or until the outside of the dough is ½” from the edge of the panettone mold and the dome of the dough is at least 1” above the mold.
- Remove the cover from the panettone and let it sit at room temperature before scoring a T into the top of the dough, going no deeper than ¼” inch.
- Top off with 1 teaspoon of softened unsalted butter and bake in the oven at 350° convection fan on for 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough is a dark brown and reaches 195° in the center of the bread.
- Using extra-long skewers, place two of them completely through the bread 1” inch from the bottom and 3” to 4” apart from one another.
- Hang the bread upside down for 2 to 3 hours to cool to room temperature.
- Flip the bread over, slice and serve.
Notes
- The aromatic mixture benefits from 10–24 hours of infusion to deepen flavor; it can rest up to 48 hours for more intensity.
- The biga starter should ferment 12–24 hours until doubled or tripled in size with visible bubbles for best results.
- Rest the dough after shaping to harden the surface, making it easier to score before baking.
- If the panettone browns too quickly during baking, cover with foil and reduce oven temperature to 325°F for the remainder.
- Hanging the bread upside down after baking prevents collapse of the delicate crumb structure.
- The dough should feel non-sticky before proofing; kneading is complete when the mixing bowl is clean and dough no longer clings.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 510 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 510kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 63g | 21% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 150mg | 50% |
| Sodium | 307mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 221mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 483IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 0.01mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 42mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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