Can I soak the panettone fruit without alcohol?

Yes, and this recipe is built that way. Warm orange juice plumps raisins and candied peel overnight just as well, and the fruit tastes brighter and cleaner. Warm water with a spoonful of honey and extra zest also works. Always drain and pat the fruit dry before it meets the dough.

Why does panettone cool upside down?

The hot crumb is so soft and butter rich that its own weight can compress it as it cools, squeezing out the tall, feathery texture. Hanging the loaf from skewers lets gravity hold the crumb stretched while it sets. Cool it upside down for at least 2 hours, until fully room temperature.

Can I bake panettone in a regular cake pan?

Yes, with one adjustment: line a 6 or 7 inch springform or deep cake pan with a parchment collar standing 3 inches above the rim, greased well. The dough needs that height to climb into a dome. Keep the same temperature and check the center for 190 to 195°F.

How far ahead can I bake panettone for a gift?

Bake it 2 to 4 days before giving for the best texture, wrap it whole and uncut, and keep it at room temperature. The flavor deepens over the first days thanks to the overnight starter. For longer storage, freeze the whole cooled loaf, well wrapped, for up to 2 months.

My panettone dough is very sticky. Should I add more flour?

Resist the flour. An enriched dough with this much butter and yolk is supposed to feel soft and tacky, and it firms as it is kneaded and as the butter warms into it. Oil your hands and the counter lightly instead, and judge the dough by its stretch: it should pull thin without tearing.

Panettone, Tall, Feathery And Baked On A Two Day Schedule

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup bread flour (90 g), for the overnight starter
1/2 cup cool water (120 ml), for the overnight starter
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast, for the overnight starter
1 cup golden raisins (150 g)
1/2 cup candied orange peel, cut into small cubes (80 g)
1/4 cup candied lemon peel, cut into small cubes (40 g)
3/4 cup fresh orange juice, warmed (180 ml), for soaking the fruit
3 1/4 cups bread flour (410 g), plus more for the board
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup warm milk (80 ml)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 g), very soft, cut into pieces
Powdered sugar, for dusting at serving

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Instructions

The night before, stir the starter flour, cool water, and yeast in a medium bowl until no dry flour remains. Cover and refrigerate for 10 to 14 hours. In a second bowl, pour the warm orange juice over the raisins and both candied peels, cover, and leave at room temperature overnight.
Next morning, let the starter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the fruit well in a sieve, pressing lightly.
Rub the orange and lemon zests into the sugar with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and damp.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the starter, bread flour, zested sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the yolks, eggs, warm milk, honey, and vanilla. Mix with the dough hook on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 3 minutes.
Increase the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Add the soft butter one spoonful at a time, waiting for each addition to disappear before adding the next, about 8 minutes in total. Keep kneading until the dough is smooth, glossy, pulls away from the bowl, and stretches thin enough to show light through it.
Add the drained fruit and mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, only until evenly distributed.
Scrape the dough into a 6 inch panettone paper mold set on a baking sheet. Smooth the top with a wet hand, cover loosely, and let rise in a warm, draft free place until the dough crowns just at the rim of the mold, 3 to 4 hours.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third. Score a shallow cross on top of the risen dough and lay a small knob of butter in the center of the cross.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the dome is deep golden and the center reads 190 to 195°F on an instant read thermometer. Tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes if the top darkens early.
The moment it leaves the oven, push two long skewers horizontally through the base of the mold, about 1 inch from the bottom. Hang the loaf upside down between two tall pots or stacks of books and cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing.

Author: Chef Rita
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 370
Sodium: 180
Saturated Fat: 8
Protein: 6
Cholesterol: 65