Panettone, an Italian sweet bread, is a Christmastime staple. It is a tall bread studded with candied fruits and nuts and enjoyed for its light, fluffy texture. Panettone is traditionally served alongside sweet wines and sometimes spread with butter or a mascarpone sauce. Panettone has a long preparation time, mainly because the dough requires three different risings. The process, therefore, is quite time consuming and involved. The taste and texture of homemade panettone greatly surpasses the store-bought bread, however, making the effort well worthwhile.
Instructions
Prepare the Starter Dough
1. Melt 3/8 cup butter in a pan. When it is completely melted, pour it into a mixing bowl.
2. Combine 5/8 cup sugar with 3/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Stir vigorously until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add the 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. instant dry yeast to the melted butter. Stir well, then pour the sugar water and egg yolks into the mixture. Mix the dough thoroughly.
4. While mixing, slowly add the 4 cups sifted flour. If the dough seems dry, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough becomes soft. Mix the batter thoroughly for about 2 minutes until it is smooth and all the ingredients are incorporated.
5. Scrape the batter into a very large mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free room for 10 hours, or overnight. This will allow the starter dough to triple in size.
Make the Dough
6. Combine the raisins, dried figs and chestnuts in a mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp. of all-purpose flour and mix until the fruits and nuts are evenly dusted with flour. Set aside.
7. After the starter dough has tripled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Add 2 3/4 cups flour, vanilla extract and honey. Knead the dough by hand for 15 minutes or beat in a standing mixer with a dough attachment. Meanwhile, melt 8 tbsp. of butter in a pan.
8. Add the 1/2 tsp. salt to the mixture. Add the melted butter 1 tbsp. at a time, alternating with adding 1 egg yolk at a time, mixing in between. Work the dough for another 10 to 20 minutes until it becomes shiny and dry. Fold in the nut and fruit mixture. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for 6 hours.
9. Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Line the sides of the pop-form pan with a piece of parchment paper that is 6 inches higher than the sides of the pan to form a collar. Grease the parchment paper collar. Place the dough ball gently into the bottom of the pan.
10. Set the pan with the dough in a warm, very humid place for 2 hours to rise again. The best way to do this is to run a hot shower for 5 minutes until the bathroom is steamy. Turn off the water and place the bowl in the warm bathroom with the door closed.
11. Before placing the dough into the oven, cut an "X" into the top of the dough and brush with melted butter. Bake the dough for 4 minutes and then quickly remove and push down the corners created by the cuts. Tent the bread with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes of baking. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden skewer, inserted in the middle of the loaf, comes out dry.
12. Remove the panettone from the oven and cool for 30 minutes in the pan. Gently slide the bread out of the pan and place on a cooling rack. Allow the panettone to completely cool before serving.
Tags: minutes until, melted butter, mixing bowl, another minutes, another minutes until
