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Homemade Panettone Bread Recipe
5 from 27 votes

Homemade Panettone Bread Recipe

The Homemade Panettone Bread Recipe details making a traditional Italian sweet bread through a multi-stage dough process involving aromatic infusions, a fermented biga starter, and enriched dough with egg yolks, butter, and chocolate chips. The bread develops a rich flavor and tender crumb from careful fermentation and layered dough additions, producing a festive bread with a complex texture and subtle citrus and vanilla notes.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
55 mins
Additional Time
1 d 16 hrs
Servings: 8
Calories: 510 kcal
Course: Dessert, Bread
Cuisine: Italian-American Fussion

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Next, add the biga and continue to mix on low speed until combined.
  5. Add in 1 egg at a time. Do not add the next egg until the one before is absorbed into the dough.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Like the process with the second dough, add the remaining egg yolks, and then the butter.
  10. Once mixed in, add the honey-citrus aromatics, knead on low speed until combined, and then knead for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
  11. 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.
  12. Evenly sprinkle 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips over the top of the dough.
  13. Then, fold the third bottom up to the center, and then wrap the top third over the top of the center of the dough.
  14. Sprinkle on ½ of the remaining chocolate chips over the dough.
  15. 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.
  16. Using a bench knife, scrape under the dough while turning it to form a taught dough ball with the seams underneath.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. Hang the bread upside down for 2 to 3 hours to cool to room temperature.
  22. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 510

% 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.