Italian
Panettone
A Milanese holiday bread with a slow-fermented, featherlight crumb, carrying candied citrus, butter, and vanilla in a tall golden dome.
12 servings · 570 minutes prep · 60 minutes cook
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup candied orange peel, diced
- 3/4 cup golden raisins, soaked and drained
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Directions
Method
- In a mixing bowl, stir 1 cup of the bread flour with the water, instant yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Cover until the sponge is bubbly and tripled, about 1 hour.
- Transfer the sponge to a stand mixer. Add the remaining bread flour and granulated sugar, the egg yolks, egg, honey, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt. Knead until very elastic, 12-15 minutes.
- Add the unsalted butter a few pieces at a time, kneading until each addition disappears and the dough is glossy enough to stretch thinly.
- Fold in the candied orange peel, golden raisins, and orange zest. Cover and proof until tripled, 4-6 hours.
- Shape the dough into a tight round and place it in a 6-inch panettone mold. Proof until the dome reaches the rim, 3-5 hours. Heat the oven to 350F.
- Bake until the top is deeply browned and the center reaches 200F, 50-60 minutes. Pierce the base with skewers and hang the panettone upside down until completely cool, at least 8 hours.
