This Christmas, for the first time, we made panettone; the loved sweet bread enjoyed all through Italy during the festive season (and Easter) from the Veneto to Sicily.
Fruit soaked in brandy
Filled with brandy soaked dried fruit: sultanas, candied mixed peel, and lemon and orange rind panettone is a light fruit bread originating from Milan and, it has a feel of Christmas.
Soft dough and a Christmas aroma
Using a recipe from the wonderful ‘The Essential Christmas Cook Book’ (Murdoch Books, 2000) our panettone making turned out well.
The dough rising was a pleasant triumph - it was ‘frothy’; the dough was elastic and soft and brushed with some melted butter the panettone baked for nearly 50 minutes until lightly golden brown.
It filled the kitchen with the aroma of an Italian Christmas.
Lots of rising and a classic panettone taste
The biggest thing was planning the time for rising; it takes 4 hours all up. And also, once the dough is rolled out and sprinkled with the brandied fruit, folded over and re rolled just make sure that the last bit of gentle kneading gets rid of any air pockets.
We ended up with an air pocket but it made no difference to the cutting or the eating.
Dusted lightly with sifted, soft icing sugar we enjoyed slices with cups of hot tea.
Below are a few shots of our panettone making.
Merry Christmas
Salve,
Suzanne