Italian Panettone Recipe
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
50 minutes
Servings:
12 Servings
Ingredients
  • 20 tablespoons (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 ounces candied orange peel
  • 2 ounces candied cherries
  • 2 ounces dried currants
  • 2 ounces golden raisins
  • ½ cup orange liqueur
  • ¾ cups whole milk, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
  • 1 3/4 ounces granulated sugar
  • 18 ounces bread flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 ½ ounces blanched almonds, slivered
Directions
  1. At least 2 hours before, or overnight, remove the butter from the fridge so it can fully come to room temperature.
  2. Chop the orange peel, then cut the cherries into quarters. Stir the orange peel, cherries, currants, and raisins in a bowl. Add the orange liqueur and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature overnight.
  3. Remove 2 tablespoons of milk from the ¾ cups and put in the fridge for later. Microwave the remaining 5 ounces of milk for 20 seconds. Check the temperature (you want it to be about 100 to 110 F). If needed, continue to heat in 5 to 10 second increments until it reaches the desired temperature. Add the yeast and stir in the sugar, then let sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt and stir briefly. Pour the yeast and milk mixture into the bowl. Mix on low speed until combined.
  5. Crack 5 of the eggs. Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs. Once they are all added, increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth and sticky.
  6. Cut 18 tablespoons of the softened butter into bite-sized pieces. Turn the mixer to medium-high and add the butter a few chunks at a time. After it is all added, continue to mix for 5 more minutes, or until the dough is glossy, smooth, and very soft. The look and texture is between that of a cake batter and a typical bread dough.
  7. Grease a large glass bowl with 1 tablespoon of butter. Gently let the dough slide out of the mixing bowl into the greased glass bowl. Scrape out any dough that stays in the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula into the glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Let it rise in the fridge for 15 to 18 hours.
  8. Strain the fruits with a mesh strainer. Sprinkle half of the fruit evenly onto the dough rectangle.
  9. Lightly dust your work surface with bread flour. Dump the panettone out onto the work surface and press into a rectangle, about 9x13-inches. I use a rolling pin, but you want to be careful not to press down too hard.
  10. Fold the dough over and lightly roll the dough to evenly distribute the fruit. Press it into a rectangle again and sprinkle the remaining fruit and half the almonds evenly, then fold together and roll to evenly distribute.
  11. Form the dough into a roughly shaped ball.
  12. Using the last tablespoon of butter, grease a panettone paper mold or panettone baking dish.
  13. Drop the dough into the middle. Stud the top with the remaining almonds. Place in a warm place to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has risen above the rim of the mold or dish.
  14. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  15. Make an egg wash by whisking the remaining egg with the reserved 2 tablespoons of milk, then brush the wash over the top of the cake.
  16. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 min. Lower oven temperature to 300 F and continue to cook for 45 to 55 minutes. You want the internal temperature to reach 190 to 200 F when checked with a probe thermometer.
  17. Use a skewer through the middle and turn the panettone upside and rest over two glasses or jars. Let it cool upside down for at least 2 hours.
  18. Slice and enjoy the panettone with your favorite hot drink or dessert wine.