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5.0 from 231 votes

Traditional Panettone Recipe

Soft, light, chewy, fruity and wonderfully aromatic, Panettone is Italy's world famous sweet bread that is traditionally enjoyed for Christmas and New Year!

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Additional Time
14 hrs
Total Time
15 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 392 kcal
Course: Dessert , Breakfast , Brunch
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • For the Starter:
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) lukewarm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt
  • For the Fruit Mixture:
  • 1 cup (140 g) raisins
  • 1/4 cup candied orange peel
  • 1/4 cup candied lemon peel
  • OR Homemade Candied Orange & Lemon Peel *VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED (using homemade makes ALL the difference in flavor! It's easy to make and you'll be SO glad you did!)
  • zest of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest
  • For the Panettone:
  • 2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons active dry yeast (9 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoons (2 g) salt
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (130 ml) milk , at room temperature (do NOT use cold milk)
  • 5 large egg yolks , at room temperature (do NOT use cold eggs)
  • prepared starter (see above)
  • 10 tablespoons (150 g) unsalted butter , at room temperature (do NOT use cold butter)
  • 2-3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon quality vanilla bean paste (recommended for best flavor but can substitute 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • OR one vanilla bean, scraped
  • 1 lightly beaten egg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the Starter: Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes until frothy. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment (if your bowl is too large for that small of quantity knead it by hand). Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and knead for 5 minutes if using the stand mixer and about 10 minutes if kneading by hand. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in a very lightly greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size. Punch it down, cover with plastic wrap again and refrigerate it overnight. The next day take it out and let it come to room temperature before proceeding (this will take about 2 hours). Let it rise until nearly doubled in size.
  2. To Prepare the Fruit Mixture: Place the raisins, candied lemon peel, candied orange peel, lemon and orange zest in a small bowl and pour 1/4 cup of hot water over them. Stir, cover and let soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain any excess liquid before adding it to the panettone dough. Properly draining it is critical to preventing a wet dough.
  3. To Prepare the Panettone: Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the stand mixer and stir to combine. Attach the dough hook attachment. Add the egg yolks and milk and mix until it comes all comes together. Punch down the starter dough and add it to the stand mixer. Knead it for 5 minutes, regularly scraping down the sides. Add the softened butter, vanilla and honey and knead for another 10 minutes (yes, that's 10 minutes). The mixture should be totally smooth and elastic but not overly sticky. Add the fruit mixture and knead until fully incorporated. If the dough is too wet add a little extra flour. Scrape the dough down, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in size, about 3 hours. Towards the end of this final rise preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (325 if using convection) and place the rack in the lower third of the oven.
  4. Gently punch down the dough, form it into a ball and place it in a buttered panettone mold (7.3" x 4.25", click link for reference). Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise for about another 2 hours or until doubled in size. It should be risen to about 1 inch or so higher than the rim of the mold. Once the panettone is risen, if you'd like a glossy top brush the top of the panettone with some egg wash (a lightly beaten egg).
  5. Use a very sharp knife (I use a razor blade) and score an "x" across the entire top of the panettone. Place about a tablespoon chunk of butter in the center. Bake the panettone for 40-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (if the top is browning too quickly place foil over it). Be careful not to over-bake or the panettone will be very dry.Recommended: For best accuracy and to prevent under or over-baking use an instant read thermometer. The panettone is done when the internal temperature reaches between 190 and 195 degrees F.
  6. Remove the panettone from the oven and immediately stick two wooden skewers through the bottom of it and hang it upside down inside of a large, deep pot or somewhere where it can hang as it cools. This will prevent the top of the panettone from collapsing in on itself. Once cool, slice the panettone vertically in slices. Enjoy at room temp or toasted. See blog post for serving recommendations. Stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap it will keep at room temperature for a few days to up to a week. It is best eaten within 2-3 days.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 392kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 64g (21%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Cholesterol 128mg (43%) Sodium 137mg (6%) Potassium 213mg (6%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 21g (42%) Vitamin A 480IU (10%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 26mg (3%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 392

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 392kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 64g 21%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 128mg 43%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Potassium 213mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 21g 42%
Vitamin A 480IU 10%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 26mg 3%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.