Baking authentic Italian panettone is a labor of love, requiring time and attention to detail. But the reward—a light, airy, and intensely flavorful sweet bread unlike any other—is well worth the effort. This recipe provides a comprehensive guide, breaking down each step to help you create a truly exceptional panettone in your own kitchen.
Ingredients:
Sponge
- 1 ½ tablespoons active-dry yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup bread flour
- ½ cup lukewarm milk
Panettone dough
- 4 ½ to 5 cups bread flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon malt extract
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups almonds
- ½ cup raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon each orange and lemon zest
Glaze and topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon water
- 1 cup nuts and raisins
Directions:
Sponge
In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast, 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, ½ cup bread flour, and ½ cup milk. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and puffed.
Panettone Dough
In a medium bowl, sift together 4 ½ to 5 cups bread flour and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir in ¾ cup brown sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 5 eggs and 1 cup softened unsalted butter. Add 1 teaspoon malt extract, 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
Add the sponge to the mixer bowl and mix on medium speed with the dough hook. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients, 1 cup at a time. Knead for 5-7 minutes. If the dough doesn’t come together, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it forms a soft, supple dough that is not sticky when touched with your knuckles.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours. Alternatively, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Gently punch down the dough to release the air and transfer it to a clean work surface. Stretch or roll the dough into a rough rectangle.
Scatter 3 cups nuts and ½ cup seedless raisins evenly over the dough. Roll the dough tightly, like a cinnamon roll, forming a cylinder.
Using a large kitchen knife, slice the cylinder into 6 or 7 pieces. Briefly knead each piece and then loosely stack them in an irregular pile to distribute the nuts and raisins throughout the dough.
Knead the dough again, incorporating any escaped fruit and nuts.
Lightly grease the panettone paper molds with baking spray or a light brushing of oil.
Divide the dough into the prepared molds, filling them no more than halfway. Cover and let rise for another 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the dough has increased in volume and feels less dense.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using a razor blade, cut a cross into the top of each panettone.
Bake the 1-pound loaves for approximately 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Immediately after baking, remove the panettone from its pan. Insert two sturdy skewers through the base of the loaf, about 2 inches from the bottom. Turn the panettone upside down and suspend it over a pot or deep bowl. Allow the panettone to cool completely upside down for at least 1 ½ to 2 hours, or ideally 10-12 hours, to prevent it from collapsing.
Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ tablespoon water until smooth and the consistency of thick honey.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled panettone and sprinkle with 1 cup of mixed nuts and raisins. Let the glaze dry completely before slicing and serving.
Pro Tip: Panettone makes excellent French Toast. Use up your holiday leftovers by dipping Panettone in eggnog instead of the traditional egg batter before frying.