makes 2 panettone
Notes
Panettone is an announcement of the Christmas holidays in Italy, although we eat it year-round: in the morning with coffee, or as a dessert topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, zabaglione, or a mound of ice cream. My mother, Erminia, ate more panettone than I could possibly imagine, and my daughter, Tanya, is following suit. My mother really loved it and my daughter continues to do so. They preferred this homemade version to store-bought. Panettone seems to have its origins in Milano around the eighteenth century. It evolved from bread making, enriched with butter, eggs, spices, and dried or candied fruits. In this recipe, I have combined amarena cherries and chocolate, one of my favorite dessert combinations. The uniqueness of panettone is in its rising, so make sure you give yours time to rise fully, as directed in the recipe. You’ll need two 11/2-quart paper panettone molds for this recipe. They’re available at specialty baking shops around the holidays, or online.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 packets instant yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
- Vegetable oil, for the bowl
- 4 large eggs
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup drained amarena cherries, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks
Directions
The night before you want to bake, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup room-temperature water, and a pinch of the yeast in a large bowl. Mix well to combine. Oil another large bowl, add the dough, and turn it to coat in the oil. Cover it with plastic wrap, and let it sit at room temperature until bubbly, 8 to 12 hours.
Combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, the remaining yeast, 1/4 cup water, 3 eggs, the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead on medium speed until the dough comes together in a wet ball (it won’t totally clear the sides of the bowl), 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer this dough back to the oiled bowl, and let it rise until it’s just starting to puff, about 1 hour.
Flatten the dough on your counter to make about an 8-inch square, and sprinkle it with the cherries and chocolate. Fold the dough over itself and knead it, to incorporate the cherries and chocolate. Form the dough into two balls, and roll your hands under the dough to make each a tight, smooth ball. Place them in two paper panettone molds (about 1 1/2-quart capacity each), cover, and let rise until they are almost doubled, about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the remaining egg, and brush the panettone with it. Bake until deep golden and cooked through (about 190 degrees inside), about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack.
