Italian Panettone is a classic Christmas bread that's loved for its sweet, fruity flavor and rich, buttery texture. This traditional Italian dessert is often enjoyed during the holiday season, but it's delicious any time of year.
With its distinctive dome shape and festive decorations, panettone makes a beautiful and indulgent addition to any holiday celebration.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Panettone is a rich and flavorful bread that's packed with candied fruit and often infused with citrus zest. The dough is light and airy, with a slightly sweet taste. The traditional recipe for panettone involves a long fermentation process, which gives the bread its unique flavor and texture.
Ingredients Overview
The secret to Panettone's distinctive flavor lies in its long fermentation process and the addition of candied fruits and raisins. The dough is often enriched with butter and eggs, creating a rich and indulgent texture. The result is a sweet bread that's perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Panettone Bread
You can prepare the dough and knead by hand, or use an electric mixer, or electric dough kneading machine. Look for the paper Panettone molds on Amazon or specialty baking stores. You can also use metal paska springform pans, which are about 5 inches tall by 7 inches diameter, perfect for Panettone!
With a little patience and effort, you can make your own delicious panettone at home. This festive and flavorful bread is a wonderful addition to any holiday celebration.
Proof the Yeast
- In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
Prepare The Enriched Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the yeast mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the lemon and orange zest, dried fruits, and chopped nuts.
- Knead the dough with an electric mixer or on a floured surface, working in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Let the Dough Bulk Rise Until Double
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Punch the dough down and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for at 12 to 24 hours for traditional fermentation process.
NOTE: If you don't have time to do the 12 to 24 hour fermentation, you can skip step 8 and go directly to step 9. However, the fermentation process adds both flavor and tenderness to the panettone.
Shape and Place Into the Molds
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough in half.
- Shape each part of the dough into a ball and place it in a greased and floured panettone mold.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise for an additional 1-2 hours.
Bake and Decorate
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the panettone for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the panettone to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the panettone is completely cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar.
Serving Suggestions
With its festive flavor and indulgent texture, Italian panettone is a delicious and memorable treat that's perfect for the holiday season. Enjoy panettone with a cup of coffee or tea, the candied fruits and raisins add a delightful sweetness. Toast slices of panettone and spread with butter or jam.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations when making this recipe.
- Experiment with different types of candied fruit or add chocolate chips for a sweet twist.
- Adjust the size of the panettone mold to suit your needs. The molds are available from mini individual size (3 oz) to the extra large 5"x7" size (24 oz)
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this recipe.
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- Panettone molds, paper 24 oz extra large
- Springform Panettone Mold
- Tall Springform cake pan set
Storage Options
- Store leftover panettone in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- To freeze panettone, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this Italian Panettone recipe:
- Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to knead the dough for a smooth texture.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place.
- To test if the panettone is done, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make panettone without candied fruit. However, it won't have the traditional flavor.
Yes, you can make panettone in a loaf pan, but it won't have the traditional dome shape. Small cupcake size mini panettone might be better than a loaf.
No, but traditionally this is one of the key elements of making a panettone. Panettone is a type of fermented enriched dough. You can skip the fermentation process if you're short on time.
Holiday Bread
- Tsoureki Bread with Red Easter Eggs
- Irish Soda Bread with Raisins
- Russian Easter Bread (Kulich)
- Challah Bread
Get the Recipe!
Italian Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4¾ cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk warmed to 110°F/43°C
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 cup mixed dried fruits raisins, currants, candied orange peel
- ½ cup chopped nuts almonds, hazelnuts
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the yeast mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the lemon and orange zest, dried fruits, and chopped nuts.
- Knead the dough with an electric mixer or on a floured surface, working in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Punch the dough down and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for at 12 to 24 hours for traditional fermentation process.NOTE: If you don't have time to do the 12 to 24 hour fermentation, you can skip step 8 and go directly to step 9. However, the fermentation process adds both flavor and tenderness to the panettone.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough in half.
- Shape each part of the dough into a ball and place it in a greased and floured panettone mold or a large, deep cake pan.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise for an additional 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the panettone for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the panettone to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the panettone is completely cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar.
Kelly says
My family loved this!