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By now, you’ve become a real Italian kitchen expert, have heard a lot about the many different regional delicacies for the various festivities. Are you already familiar with the great Christmas desserts? When it comes to tempting holiday treats, you can’t go wrong with the Panettone. Originally a Milanese speciality, where it is enjoyed all year round, the fine cake has long since spread its delicious wings throughout the entire country and even beyond. Let’s be honest, doesn’t the wheat-sourdough cake with its raisins and candied fruit simply taste divine? You might want to give baking a Panettone a shot, which is why we’ve prepared an amazing recipe by star chef Francesco Elmi for you!
Ingredients (for 5 Panettoni) – first kneading
- 450 g sugar
- 400 g water
- 600 g egg yolks
- 400 g natural yeast (the exact weight depends on its maturity)
- 1000 g flour (W380/420P/L 0,50 – 0,60)
- 650 g butter
Here we go:
The Panettone dough always needs two kneading sessions. Starting off the first one, you dissolve the sugar in 260 g of water before adding egg yolks, flour and, broken down into small clumps, the natural yeast. Knead the dough until it’s elastic, add the remaining water and, finally, the room-temperature butter. Let the dough rest at a temperature of 25°C for 12 to 14 hours. Sourdough is best leavened at a temperature of 26°C and should approximately triple in volume.
Ingredients (for 5 Panettoni) – second kneading
- 250 g flour (W380/420P/L 0,50 – 0,60)
- 100 g sugar
- 150 g egg yolks
- 150 g butter
- 30 g salt
- 6 g vanilla pods
- 600 g pre-soaked and dried sultanas
- 600 g candied fruit (300 g orange peel, 300 g lemon peel)
Here we go (again):
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Knead the first-session dough with the flour to elasticity. Add sugar and egg yolks, thoroughly knead again, then add butter and salt. Add the candied fruit next, then let the dough rise for an hour before dividing it into portions. Let it rest for another hour, make it round, then put it into the moulds.
After having given the dough another hour, allow it to levitate for 5 to 6 hours at 30°C before bringing it back to room temperature. Let it bake at 155 to 160°C for approx. an hour per kilo. Taking it out of the oven, you turn it upside-down for approx. three hours before filling it into bags for the next day. Now get ready for a true culinary experience – we recommend sweet hot drinks or dessert wine, such as Moscato or Spumante, with it.
Your mouth is probably watering just reading the recipe, isn’t it? Have fun baking and feasting on your very own Panettone!