Perfect Christmas Panettone — Italian Holiday Bread

Panettone is the iconic Italian Christmas bread — tall, light, fruity, days to make properly. Worth every minute for true tradition.

The recipe

Ingredients (makes 1 large panettone)

Starter (do 1 day ahead):

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp instant yeast

Dough:

• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp salt
• 4-5 cups bread flour
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon

Mix-ins:

• 1 cup mixed candied peel
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1/4 cup brandy (soak fruit overnight)

Method

Day 1: Starter

1. Mix starter ingredients
2. Cover, ferment 12-24 hours room temp

Day 2: Dough 3. Combine starter with milk, yeast, half the sugar, half the eggs 4. Knead 10 minutes (stand mixer) 5. Add remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, zests, salt 6. Knead 5 more minutes 7. Slowly add butter, one piece at a time 8. Knead 15-20 minutes until smooth, glossy 9. First rise: 4-6 hours (or refrigerate overnight)

Shape and final rise 10. Drain soaked fruit 11. Fold fruit into dough 12. Shape into ball 13. Place in panettone paper mold (essential!) 14. Final rise 4-6 hours

Bake 15. Score top with cross 16. Place small piece of butter in cross 17. Bake 350°F for 35-45 minutes 18. Tent foil if browning too fast 19. Internal temp 195°F when done

Cool 20. Hang upside-down (literally) to cool 21. Skewers through bottom of mold 22. Hang for 4 hours minimum 23. Otherwise collapses

Why hang upside-down?

Critical step

• Bread is tall, structure delicate
• Right-side-up = compresses, collapses
• Upside-down = gravity helps structure set
• Traditional Italian method

Specialty equipment

Panettone paper mold

• Essential for shape
• Available online or Italian markets
• 6-inch round, 5-inch tall typical
• Don't substitute

Skewers for hanging

• Long bamboo or metal
• Strong enough to hold
• Insert before baking (bottom of mold)

Storage

• Wrap in plastic + paper bag
• Room temp 1 week
• Freeze 2 months
• Toast slices for breakfast

Why it's worth it

Italian Christmas tradition

• Started Milan, traditional gift
• Bakery panettone is expensive
• Homemade is rare achievement
• Pride of effort

Make ahead supreme

• 2-3 day process
• Done well in advance
• Gift potential
• Stores well

Cross-references

For Christmas stollen — adjacent.

For Christmas with Italian traditions — adjacent.

For Christmas around the world — broader.

The perfect panettone is days of work for one perfect bread. Italian Christmas tradition. Tall, light, fruity. Worth the patience. Worth the effort.