Cake for Christmas or just something for tea? Check out this Panettone recipe that will make any day a holiday wannabe!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, Sugar free recipe
Prep Time 12 hourshours
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Ingredients
Starter
¾cupPlain flour
½cupWater
¼teaspoonFresh yeast
Dough
1teaspoonFresh yeast
2¼cupsPlain white flour
2medium Eggs
4tablespoonsButter
1teaspoonVanilla extract
½teaspoonOrange oil - flavoring
1¼teaspoonSalt
3tablespoonsHoney
2tablespoonsOrange zest
¼cupWateronly if flour water content is low
½cupRaisins
½cupDried apricots
½cupPrunes
Optional dried fruits
½cupDried cranberries
½cupDried pineapples
Instructions
Starter
Combine flour, water and the yeast in an airtight container and put it into the fridge for at least 8 – 12 hours. It will double in size so choose a big enough box.
Dough
Knead starter, flour, eggs, butter, vanilla extract, orange flavoring, salt and honey together. No need to do it in batches, except if we want to work the dough by hand. Depending on the flour's water content add during kneading if necessary.
It will take about 15 minutes of kneading with a machine until we get a smooth and elastic dough.
Cover the dough then place it into a 68°F – 81°F /20°C – 27°C corner to raise for 60 - 90 minutes.
Get the dried fruit ready by chopping them to the same size.
Stretch the dough out on a mildly floured work surface. No need to be perfect. If we don't like folding, we can simply knead into the fruit too.
Sprinkle half of the dried fruit onto the dough then lightly press them in.
Close the dough up by folding one third of the dough in then the remaining third on top.
Roll the dough out again.
Sprinkle the other half of the dried fruits onto the dough then lightly press them in.
Close the dough up by folding one third of the dough in then the remaining third on top again.
Fold them again into thirds or into a size that will fit into the Panettone pan.
Place the dough into the Panettone pan. Or any straight-sided oven proof dish. Cups work too but use parchment paper for easier extraction.
Cover the dough then place it into a 68°F – 81°F /20°C – 27°C corner to raise for 60 minutes. Don't let it raise too much. When the dough side reaches the rim of the pan, the Panettone is ready to be baked. The small ones in cups may be just too much.
Place the Panettone into a 390°F / 200°C preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F/190°C then bake for additional 10 minutes. Reduce heat again to 350°F / 180°C and bake for 25 - 35 minutes. Since its a tall bread, the top may start to get brown earlier than it should. Using aluminium foil to cover the crust may will be necessary. Panettone should be ready when its internal temperature registers 195°F / 90°C which should happen when the crust is deep golden brown and gives a hollow sound when tapped. Sure, smaller size things will be done much quicker. The Panettone in the other cup has not survived the extraction process.
Although it seems ready to be sliced and served, Panettone needs one more crucial step for perfection. Panettone needs to be cooled by hung upside down. There are some special equipments used for this but we can solve it just fine with two sturdy enough sticks like chopsticks. Remove Panettone from the Panettone pan and drive through two sticks at its bottom. Smaller Panettones don't need so sturdy ones.
Hang them upside down, either by using the same spring form they were baked in or using any other taller-than-Panettone means available.