Panettone Italian Christmas Sweet Bread
Panettone, an Italian Christmas Sweet Bread a not too sweet yeast bread, filled with raisins, candied fruit or Chocolate Chips. A delicious way to celebrate the Holidays.
Panettone, this is a much easier and quicker Italian Christmas Sweet Bread Recipe to make, everyone will love it.
Every time we head into the Fall months and Christmas is just around the corner, the Italian asks “why don’t you make a Homemade Panettone”.
Every year I think forget it, 3 days to make something that I can buy in a store? No I don’t think so. And then a friend of mine gave me this Panettone Recipe, so much easier and faster she said, you will love it.
Recipe Ingredients
For the Panettone
- Flour – all purpose
- Sugar – granulated or fine sugar
- Water – lukewarm water
- Butter – room temperature
- Salt – if you use unsalted butter add a bit more salt
- Yeast – active dry yeast
- Eggs – 2 large eggs and 1 yolk
- Zest – the lemon and orange peel
- Vanilla – extract
- Chocolate chips – or raisins, candied fruit or even a mixture
Topping
- Almond flour
- Cornstarch
- Sugar
- Egg white
- Powdered sugar – also known as
- Almonds – skinned
How to make homemade Almond Flour
If you like you can even make your own almond flour, place almonds, 1/4 -1/3 cup at a time, in a food processor. Pulse until you have a flour-like consistency. Then sift the flour into a container, any large bits pulse again.
Why use room temperature ingredients?
With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter or dough, which will help to create a light tender baked good.
How to make it
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, add sifted flour, in the center add yeast, sugar, butter, eggs, yolk, zest, vanilla and half the water. Mix 20 seconds, then change to the dough hook and add the remaining water and salt.
Mix, stop to scrape the hook and bowl. Add either the raisins, candied fruit or chocolate chips (or even a mixture if you wish) mix on low for a couple of minutes until combined.
Remove to a flat lightly floured board, lightly rub hand with butter and gather the dough into a ball. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic and a dish towel. Place in a draft free, warmish spot to rise until tripled in size.
Once risen, move back to a lightly floured flat surface, with hands lightly buttered and roll again into a ball, place in greased Panettone mold. Cover with plastic and a clean tea towel and let rise.
In a small/medium bowl mix together almond flour, cornstarch, sugar and egg white. Set aside.
Pre-heat the oven. Carefully brush the risen Panettone with the topping, top with the almonds and sprinkle with icing / powdered sugar. Bake until done, using a toothpick for doneness. Move to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.
Where did Panettone originate?
The tradition of panettone has its origins in Lombardy. It is believed that panettone was introduced, almost by chance, in the kitchens of the famous Ludovico il Moro.
Ludovico il Moro was the regent of the Duchy of Milan from 1480 to 1494. His court was one of the most splendid in Europe.
Apparently during a Christmas Eve banquet, the court’s personal cook mistakenly burned the after dinner dessert. He panicked and requested the servant boy to resolve his problem.
The poor boy “Toni” decided to take advantage of a stick of yeast which he had saved up for his Christmas lunch, he added flour, eggs, raisins, candied fruit and sugar to it, and he created “Pane di Toni. Later to become Panettone!
When to eat Panettone
Christmas in Italy begins earlier, usually early November when Panettone and Pandora are easily found in grocery stores. Panettone is the most consumed Christmas dessert in Italy. The second most consumed dessert of the holidays is Pandoro which, unlike Panettone, is the most loved dessert by children.
Panettone is the preferred dessert for the end of the festive dinner, and is also consumed by many for breakfast, soaked in a cappuccino, in a caffe latte or even eaten for a snack in the afternoon.
What you will need to make this Homemade Panettone
- Mixer – I have a mixer that will knead bread, but my dream mixer is this one.
- Mold – I use a very tall cake Pan which is about 6 inches tall but these molds are very good too.
- Flour – If you want to make bread you are going to need flour!
- Active Dry Yeast – I prefer this to cake yeast which is very popular here.
What is the difference between Panettone and Pandoro
To start Panettone has a round shape, with a fairly thick crust and is filled with raisins, chocolate chips or candied fruit, whereas Pandoro, has the typical star shape. The outside is a little darker than the inside, but both are soft and it is always served dusted with an abundant amount of powdered sugar.
How to store it
Panettone should be kept in an airtight bag at room temperature. It will keep for up to 3 days.
How to freeze Panettone
You can choose whether to freeze them whole or in slices by placing them in freezer safe bags, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
I remember my first Christmas here and after our huge Christmas lunch, out would come the nuts, big slices of Pandoro and Panettone, chunks of Torrone, Chocolate and Nougat,
And of course every Italian has their preference whether it be a tasty Panettone filled with candied fruits or raisins or a delicious Pandora which is more cake like and dusted with powdered sugar. Olives and of course my personal favourite bowls of Lupini, or Lupin Beans.
This is the perfect recipe to make on the weekend, you will probably need about 3-4 hours just for the rising time. If you have never made a yeast dough before, this is the most delicious thing to start with. Enjoy!
More Italian Christmas Recipes
- Pandoro Italian Christmas Cake
- Papetelli – Italian Christmas Cantucci
- Chocolate Torrone
- Italian Christmas Bread
Panettone Italian Christmas Sweet Bread
Ingredients
PANETTONE
- 3¼ cups all purpose flour (sifted)
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar (75 grams total)
- ⅔ cup water (lukewarm)
- ½ cup butter (room temperature/cut into small pieces)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons dry active yeast
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mini dark chocolate chips, raisins* or candied fruit or a mixture
TOPPING
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon almond flour (30 grams total)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar (78 grams total)
- 1 large egg white
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered / icing sugar for dusting
- ¼ cup skinned whole almonds (more if desired)
Instructions
PANETTONE
- Plump raisins up by sitting them in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- In the bowl of the mixer with the paddle attached, add sifted flour, in the center add the yeast, sugar, butter, eggs, yolk, zest, vanilla and half the water. Mix 20 seconds, then change to the dough hook and add the other half of the water and salt.
- Mix for 15- 20 minutes, stopping after 10 minutes to scrape the hook and bowl.
- After 20 minutes add either the raisins, candied fruit or chocolate chips (or even a mixture if you wish) mix on low for a couple of minutes until combined.
- Remove to a flat lightly floured board, lightly rub hand with butter and gather the dough into a ball. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic and a dish towel. Place in a draft free, warmish spot to rise. Let rise for 2-3 hours or until tripled in size.
- Once risen, place the dough again on a lightly floured flat surface, with hands lightly buttered, roll again into a ball, place it in a greased Panettone mold, cover with plastic and a clean dish towel and let rise for an hour.
TOPPING
- In a small/medium bowl mix together almond flour, cornstarch, sugar and egg white. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 365F (185C)
- Carefully brush the risen Panettone with the topping (I didn't use it all) top with almonds and sprinkle with icing / powdered sugar. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes using a toothpick for doneness or the internal temperature, taken in the middle of the bread is 190F / 88C. Immediately move to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.** Enjoy!
- ** No need to remove from the paper mold just cut through it.** I used an 8.5 x 4.5 inch cake pan, or a 750 gram paper mold.Keeps for 3 days well covered.
Do you need to hang this panettone upside down to cool? I have seen it called for in other recipes. Thank you and enjoy your weekend.
Hi Donna, no need to do that with this panettone, although immediately move to a wire rack to cool. I hope you like it.
Do I have to use Almond flour or can I use normal flour?
Hi Anila, you could probably use all purpose flour, although the almond flour gives it a bit of a crunchy topping. Hope that helps.
Can I make this without the paper? Where would I even begin finding it? I have a 5 1/2 inch tall ceramic bread . Would love to make this. Also, my gosh forgot about the Luigi beans. I have such memories of my Dad eating these. My Mom would make them 2x a year for him, Christmas and Easter.
Hi Jeanne, they actually have the paper on Amazon, but your ceramic bread pan should would work fine I think. I hope you enjoy it let me know.
Very pleased with the outcome, the recipe is shorter than standard Italian ones but it tasted great and was very moist. Really enjoyed making this panettone. Easy to follow, looked and smelled amazing when it came out of the oven. Definitely will try once more.
Hi Julia, yes the standard one is approximately 3 days (no time for that 🙂 ). So glad you enjoyed it. Happy New Year.
Rosemary,
Thank you so much for this AMAZING recipe! I found your link through Pinterest, and tried this bread recipe over the weekend. It turned out so beautiful!
I recently posted my final loaf on my blog. If you’d like to see it, here is the link: belivy.blogspot.com
Thank you
Merry Christmas
Livvy
Hi Livvy, your welcome and so glad you enjoyed it. Great job it looks amazing. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. 🙂
Happy Holidays! Do you have this in a gluten free recipe? (almond flour, coconut flour, etc. (no rice flours)?
Hi Janet, no sorry I don’t I have never made it gluten free. 🙂
Hi Rosemary,
Do the butter the and the water need to be cold, warm or at room temperature? Thanks!
Hi Kyla sorry I didn’t write that, the butter should be room temperature and cut into small pieces, and the water tepid. Hope that helps. (sorry I edited the butter from cold to room)
This is such a lovely recipe! It looks a lot simpler than the classic ones I’ve seen (rise over night, then rise again! Oh no!)
I’ll be trying this out, and to break in the dough hook on the stand mixer!
Hi Aidan, yes it is quite easy and all that rising just doesn’t get me excited to try it either. Let me know how it goes.
I found your site a couple of weeks ago and became hooked! I am an avid cook and baker. I have always gravitated to Italian foods. Then ended up marrying a second generation Italian. It all worked out great for us both ? LOVE your site. Funny thing is that as we were eating some Panettone the other day I said to my husband I need to find a recipe and make it myself this season… then come across this! Now I know it was meant to be lol! Thanks for sharing your authentic Italian recipes, and allowing me to pass on even more to our children and others.
Hi Stephanie, oh thanks so much, you made me really happy, so glad to help. And let me know how the Panettone turns out. 🙂
Hi Rosemary, Both my mother and grandmother were not bakers so there wasn’t a family panettone recipe. I remember we always the store bought panettone for Chistmas.
My family loves panettone so I have tried countless recipes to find the perfect one that I can pass down to my daughters. When I made and tasted your recipe yesterday, I knew it was the perfect recipe. It was light with a tender crumb and I just love the topping! I am going to make a few this Christmas to give as gifts. I was wondering would it be able to make two smaller panettone from the recipe?
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.
Hi Liliana so happy you like this Panettone recipe. It went so quick in our house I’m going to have to make a few more. I don’t see you can’t make two smaller ones, maybe bake them for a little less time. Maybe start checking after about 30 minutes? Hope this helps, let me know how it works out.
Thank you, Rosemary, I’m going to try this recipe this year! One question – I don’t have any kind of mixer at all. Will the recipe still yield reasonable results if I do everything by hand?
Hi yes it is possible to make it by hand kneading, it will take longer but as long as you arrive at a stretchy dough you will be fine. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you for answering my question. I’ll let you know what the results are when I give it a try!
We love that sweet bread. Mamma made it for years! Panettone is such a great tradition. Your panettone looks fantastic I’m sure all of your Italian relatives were happy. Un grande abbraccio!
Hi Marisa, thanks so much it was really good and yes they loved it. Have a great week.
P.S. There is a typo it shouldn’t be “sweat yeast” it should be “sweet yeast”. Big difference!
Hi Antonio, thanks, yes sure does make a difference!
Hi rosemary
I would like to try making it for my family who loves panettone
Do you have the recipe in metrics like grams.
Hi Maggie, if you go under Topping, you will see “US Customary – Metric” click metric and you will get the gram measurements. Hope that helps. Let me know.
Thank you for this! I’m going to be making this at Christmas for sure!
Hi Julie, your welcome, let me know how you liked it. 🙂