Panettone – The Sweet, Fruit Studded Christmas Bread!

Panettone (Italian Christmas Bread) Recipe

Panettone was traditionally a Christmas bread sold all over Italy during the holidays. It finds its origins in Milan around the 15th century, and has been the subject of much romantic lore. The most often told story of how this bejeweled bread came to be goes something like this… A young nobleman by the name of Ughetto Atellani fell in love with the daughter of a poor baker named Toni.  In order to impress her, Ughetto disguised himself as a pastry chef’s apprentice in her father’s bakery. He creates a tall fruit studded bread to present to her father, calling it “Pan de Toni.”  The bread, rich with eggs and butter, sweet with honey, scented with vanilla and lemon zest, with the finishing touch of dried and candied fruits was a success in the bakery and wins the admiration of the lady and the father’s respect. The baker blesses the marriage and Ughetto marries the daughter.

The story is rich and fanciful, just like the bread.  Today this sweet loaf is no longer saved just for Christmas, it is eaten at other holidays throughout the year and served sliced and toasted for brunch and as a dessert with a selection of cheeses and sweet wines. The bread, despite its rather lighthearted lore is quite sophisticated. The traditional method for making panettone is done over the course of several days. It included long sessions of kneading and allowed for up to 20 hours of rise time in order to create a flavor that is both sweet, but also has a complexity caused by the fermentation of the dough. Today, we want the same balance of flavor, without having to labor over the process or wait several days to enjoy our bread. Although you can bake the bread after only a few hours of refrigeration we recommend letting it sit for about 24 hours to develop its full flavor and it will be easier to work with.

There are traditional Panettone molds that are very high sided which come either straight or fluted, they give the bread its characteristic cupola shape.  These molds can be found in either metal or Paper Molds varieties at cooking stores or on the web.  Brioche Molds are also great, and many people bake them in large, empty, parchment lined coffee cans to achieve the high domed loaf.

Panettone from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes three 1½ -pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

1½ cups lukewarm water
1½ tablespoons granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
½ cup honey
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for greasing pan
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
7½ cups all-purpose flour measured by the scoop-and-sweep method (or weigh in 37.5 ounces/1,065 grams)
2 cups mixed dried and/or candied fruit, chopped (golden raisins, dried pineapple, dried apricots, dried cherries and candied citrus just to name a few we’ve tried and loved in this bread).
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
Sugar for sprinkling on the top of the loaf

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix yeast, salt, honey, eggs, melted butter, extracts and zest with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in flour and dried fruit without kneading, using a spoon, 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle attachment). You may need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you’re not using a machine. The dough will be loose, but will firm up when chilled (don’t try to use it without chilling).
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4. Dough can be used as soon as it’s chilled after the initial rise. Refrigerate in a non-airtight lidded container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond that, the dough stores well in the freezer for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container. Freeze in one-pound portions. When using frozen dough, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before use, then allow usual rest and rise time.
Defrost dough overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.

pan06

5. On baking day, grease a Panettone or brioche pan with butter; pictured here is a 6 x 4-inch paper mold.
6. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 ½ – pound (grapefruit-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Place the ball into the pan, seam side down.
7. Loosely cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

pan07

8. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 375°F with the rack in the middle.
9. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the Panettone with egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake in the center of the oven without steam for about 50 to 55 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. The amount of dough and baking times will vary depending on pan size.

10. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Panettone (Italian Christmas Bread) Recipe

It is wonderful on its own or served with Laura’s Marmalade on page 165 of The New ABin5. For those looking for a whole grain holiday treat try our 100% Whole Wheat Christmas Stollen on page 348 of The New HBin5.

For those of you who want to get someone started with bread baking at the holidays, here are some ideas:

The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day ~ for those on your list who want to bake with Whole Grains or are Gluten-Free

or

The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day ~ for those who might prefer to start with the European-style breads

Food Storage Container ~these round cambo containers are the easiest to mix in, but you can use a bowl or other container that is at least 5 quarts.

Danish dough Mixer – this is our favorite tool. It offers less resistance to the dough, which makes mixing even easier.

Baking Stone ~ The thinner stones tend to crack more easily. (see post on which ones we recommend)

Pizza Peel ~ this is an extra wide peel, which is great for pizza. You can also use a cookie sheet that has no sides.

Oven Thermometer ~an inexpensive oven thermometer is key to understanding the true temperature of your oven.

Yeast

Vital Wheat Gluten – for those baking from HBin5, this give whole grain breads the strength and structure it needs.

With those few items you can really create wonderful breads! Of course there are many more kitchen toys you may want once you get going with this, but these are what I think are a great start!

Note:  Red Star Yeast sponsored this post, and provided free samples of Red Star and Platinum yeast for testing. BreadIn5.com is readers supported–when you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.

95 thoughts to “Panettone – The Sweet, Fruit Studded Christmas Bread!”

  1. A big Thank You to Zoe, Jeff and Red Star Yeast.
    I was one of the lucky winners of the Red Star package. Looking forward to receiving and playing with my new toys.

  2. Just had my first ever taste of Pannetone–hubby was gifted some at work, and it’s YUMMY! So I’m going to give this a try.

    BTW, it makes AWESOME french toast!

  3. Wow! Thanks to Red Star and to Jeff & Zoe for this great package. The stollen is really nice, but now I have to make the Panetone! Merry Christmas and happy new year. Happy Bread Baking to all

    1. Hi SusanO,

      The paper molds that I have are 6×4. You can also use a 7 inch, just be sure to fill them 3/4 full. You may want to let it rest an extra 20 minutes and bake an extra 10-15 minutes.

      Thanks, Zoë

  4. This doesn’t have anything to do with Panettone, but can you make pain au chocolat with any of the doughs in your books? If so, how would you do it? I made the brioche dough (from ABin5) tonight and thinking about pastry made me pine for the pain au chocolat that I enjoyed in France. Thanks for your help!

    1. Hi Erin,

      The dough for Pain au chocolat is made with croissant dough, which is layered with lots and lots of butter. You can make the chocolate ganache bread, which will get you the same flavors, but not the flakiness.

      Thanks, Zoë

  5. How much dough (weight) are you using in the 6×4 molds? I tried the 1 lb. portions from the baking instructions in AB5 and it barely fills half the mold.

    Also, I baked one batch following the AB5 instructions for a 1 hr 40 min rest before baking. Loaves did not rise that much but bread was still good. Next batch I tried a 3 hr. rise and got nearly double the oven rise as my first try. How long should this dough rest at room temp for maximum lift? I am thinking of trying a 4-5 hour rise next time.

    Thanks

    1. Hi Kathy,

      If you try using the directions from this post, you’ll get the same results that you see in the photos!

      Is your kitchen on the cool side? This may be why you are getting a better rise after a longer rest. You want to be careful that you don’t rest it so long that it over proofs, which results in no oven spring at all. Sounds like 3 hours may be just what you need!

      Thanks, Zoë

  6. I don’t have the recommended pans to make the panettone (not even an oven safe coffee can) but would like to try the recipe. Any suggestions?

  7. Hi Zoe
    wow!! I can’t believe you made panettone, what a great recipe! I can’t wait to try it and then teach my girls how to make it! I do serve your artesian bread at school and have given lessons at my companies culinary meetings.
    I can’t wait to see your new book!
    Have a healthy and happy holidays!
    Dennis

  8. I just mixed this up (Christmas eve) and am going to try to bake it in my fluted pound cake mold (well greased). The dough is VERY sticky and wet but I’ll see what it looks like tomorrow evening when I want to bake it – may even wait until Boxing Day and see if you comment on my wet look!

    Deborah

    1. Hi Deborah,

      Is the very sticky dough still warm or has it been refrigerated? It should be firmer after refrigerating the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

  9. Just wanted to say that I made the sticky peacan rolls last night and baked them this morning! They were absolutely FABULOUS!! I used the Challah recipe and it worked great! Thank you for such great recipes.

  10. very excited to see your recipe for panettone. question#1: on the Instructions #3 says to cover it for appx 2 hrs -rise and collapse.
    then #4 says dough can be used as soon as it’s chilled after the initial rise –
    does that mean after #3 occurs?

    question#2: you indicated letting the dough sit for 24 hrs to develop its full flavor. Should it sit at room temp or in the refrigerator?

    am anxious to try this today! thanks.

    1. Amy: yes, after #3 occurs, then chill it– it’s much easier to handle when cold (not absolutely necessary, but a good idea the 1st time you try our method).

      For the 24 hr rest: the refrigerator. Jeff

  11. Just wanted to let you know how much I love your book! I’ve been making bread by hand the old fashioned way for awhile, so I was initially skeptical of doing so little work. I got ABin5 just a week ago, and have made 3 loaves of bread and 3 batches of pitas since. Made the pitas as an appetizer at a Christmas gathering yesterday, and everyone said they were the best they’d ever had. My mother-in-law and her sister both decided to buy the book after trying them. Can’t wait to get my hands on HBin5 and your flatbread book later. 🙂

    1. Stephanie: thanks so much for your note, so glad the breads are working well for you. Come back anytime you have questions. Jeff

  12. This Christmas I decided to try the sticky pecan rolls. I went to bake them Christmas morning and the sugar dripped out of the pan and caught fire! The oven looked more like a fire place with all the flames. After putting it out the rolls were still pretty amazing. I’m guessing it will be a while before I live this one down 🙂 Next time I’ll use a cookie sheet under the pan. Ho ho ho.

    1. Oh no Rene,

      I’m so sorry to hear about your smoky Christmas morning! Glad you were still able to enjoy them, but next time they will be all the better without the smoke!

      Happy holidays, Zoë

  13. The stickiness was not too much after refridgeration – as you predicted! But…it sure didn’t rise much. I gave it a long time (maybe too long) and also didn’t get much spring. So for the second one today I will not go over three hours and hope for spring! It still tastes great – I used an thermometer and took it to 200 degrees and I think that’s a bit too cooked. I used to always bake bread w. a thermometer but perhaps your recipes (or maybe egg recipes) don’t need to be that high?

    You surely are kind to answer all our questions!

    Deborah

  14. Gosh, panettone molds are hard to find locally. Made a special trip to Sur La Table. They had 5″ and 7″. I went with the 7″ and split the recipe into just 2 loaves. Here’s my thoughts:

    1) It would have been better to allow them to rise for a little longer. In retrospect, the larger dough mass needed more time to warm up. So, the loaves did not get as tall as I think they should have.

    2) The 7″ molds are tall. Maybe 6″, which is just too much volume to fill, even with splittng the dough into just 2 loaves instead of 3. I probably should have cut them down to 4 inches high before I filled/baked them, but I didn’t So, I still got a beautiful crusty top, but not the pretty muffin top effect that would have been achieved if they had risen beyond the top of the mold. After they were baked, I cut the mold shorter so they would look prettier on the plate before being cut.

    3) The longer cooking time (I added 15 minutes) meant it got a little darker on the outside than I would have liked. Not terribly, but more carmel than golden. I ended up cutting off the bottom crust when I served it.

    4) Taste was FABULOUS, as was the texture. I used raisins, currants, dried apples, dried apricots, and dried pears. A 24 hour rest before baking softened the fruit nicely. Served with apricot preserves and orange marmalade, it was really yummy. Everyone was very impressed.

    Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!

    BTW – when I bought the molds, I mentioned to the cashier how hard it was to find the molds. He commented as to how that was because “no one makes panettone homemade anymore” and that everyone simply buys it. Personally, I think that’s really sad. This recipe was not at all complicated, and the results were wonderful.

    Thanks again!

    1. Susan: About the longer rise– whenever people are finding our stuff to be on the dense side, I give the same advice– experiment with longer resting time. So glad you liked the result…

  15. This panettone made my 90-year old Italian father-in-law very happy. The candied citrus I used was cut too small and disappeared – but gave the bread good flavor. I re-mixed the last 2/3 of the dough and added 2 more cups of raisins and dried cherries and apricots.
    Easy and delicious!

  16. Hi,
    I LOVE your book artisan bread in five minutes a day and enjoy the bread often.I’m going to buy the healthy bread in five minutes a day but since my book wont be here before my trip to the store I was wondering what kind of products I should be buying so I can enjoy the book just as much as your first book.
    P.S: Cannot wait for your 3rd book coming out.

    1. Brooke: Depends which products and what you want to make. The equipment’s the same. If you want to make gluten free, you need that stuff (https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1396, for example).

      And for the wheat breads, you need vital wheat gluten (“gluten flour”), on Amazon at https://amzn.to/dVtps6, or the Bob’s Red Mill product at supermarkets. Food coops sometimes sell VWG in bulk and that’s usually the cheapest. You need a quarter-cup per recipe so the bag goes a long way. Jeff

  17. Panettone Trial
    baked the panettone but was disappointed.
    #1: it rose beautifully on the 2 hr period. refrigerated it. the following day, divided it into 3 loaves. i used the paper 6×4 panettone mold.
    did not rise well at all. almost took a whole day.
    so, i decided to move on. i made the usual slash on top of the bread. it deflated immediately. alarmed, but ready to move on, put it on the oven at 375 degrees, middle section.
    #2: the top was browning too fast and the dough is still not cooked through. i placed an alum foil on top of the bread to protect the top. took an addnal 30 min for the bread to cook.
    #3 the sides and bottom of bread was sort of dark brown and tough
    #4 kept re-reading the recipe ‘coz i’m used to a sweeter panettone. can i add addnal honey next time?
    #5: texture didn’t come out like the one you have on this blog.

    I want to try it again so please let me know what improvements I can make. Panettone i s my favorite bread!

    Thank You. My guest and my family however, enjoyed the Master Recipe bread. As a matter of fact, brought 2 loaves yesterday to a soup luncheon party and everybody enjoyed it! Thanks!

    1. Amy: This is Zoe’s specialty– I’m going to ask her to weigh in here… but didn’t want you to think we missed the question. Glad the other breads are working well for you!

      Jeff

    2. Hi Amy,

      So sorry your panettone was a bust, but I think we can help you with the next batch. The problem with letting the dough rest all day is that it will most likely overproof. This means that the yeast has done all of its work before it even gets to the oven and then can’t produce any oven spring. Our dough often doesn’t rise much during the resting phase, unlike traditional doughs. You can allow it to rest until it no longer feels cold to the touch and has a bit more give when pressed, but it will never double in size. This will have had an effect on the way it baked and the texture of the crumb.

      You can add a bit more honey to the dough, but not more than a 1/4 cup or it will effect the texture of the bread. You may want to also add a couple of tablespoons of flour to compensate for the extra liquid.

      Hope this helps! Happy New Year, Zoë

  18. Panettone thread dtd 1/2/2011
    Thank you for your response.

    Just want to clarify: the dough rested for 2 hrs as per your instruction #3 above.

    The following morning, I divided the dough into 3 balls.
    Following instruction #7 above, I covered the dough with oiled plastic wrap. Here’s where I deviated. Looking at your picture on instruction #7 – the dough rose above the panettone mold. I kept waiting for the dough to rise a high as the picture – thus allowing it to rest for almost a day.

    Is this what you are referring to? Did this cause my problem?

    In addition, I guess your recipe doesn’t call for an “x” cut on top which I did. Would this necessarily cause the dough to deflate?

    Thanks for the info on the honey.

    1. Hi Amy,

      Yes, once you put the dough into the paper molds you only want to let it rest for up to 2 hours, not much longer or it may overproof, especially if your kitchen is warm. If your kitchen is particularly cool you can let it go for about 2 1/2 hours, but really not much longer.

      Did your dough look about the same as mine when you first put it into the molds?

      Thanks, Zoë

  19. If you are referring to the picture just above instruction #5, no it didn’t. it was only filled halfway and that’s using a third of the dough (I weighed each one).
    My kitchen was particularly cool as we were having 40 degree weather outside.
    Actually, this is the reason I ended up letting it rise longer. The mold was halfway full and it was taking a long time to rise as high as your picture right uner instruction #7.
    Pls let me know – would making a slash on top cause it to deflate?

  20. just made another batch of the panettone bread dough incorporating additional 1/4c honey and a couple of TBS of flour while waiting for your response to the above questions. Tomorrow, I will do 1 loaf only and let it rise for up to 2 1/2 hours.
    Thanks, Amy

  21. I have tried this recipe twice. The first one was ok, but not sweet enough fro what we are used to.

    The second one through was complete disaster. The dough was considerably harder, although I did the same thing, but added a bit more honey to sweeten it. It didn’t rise in first, but I put it in the fridge anyway. Then next day I was ready to make my Panettone, put the amount in the mould, and it did not rise at all. I though well – I’ll put it in the oven anyway to see if it springs up. Well, it didn’t… It was as hard as a stone! I kept it in the oven for about 2 hours I think, as the dough was still raw inside. In the end I put it and the rest of the dough in the bin, as the result was horrible. I was hoping to make these as Christmas gifts for friends coming next day, but had to resort to making a different cake quickly.

    Could it be that my butter was too hot? I did cool it down slightly, but maybe not enough?

    I’ll surely try this again, as soon as we finish all the Panettone we bought in the sales!

    1. Amber: You’re proposing yeast failure as the cause of the trouble and it’s certainly possible. I’m glad U had at least one success, so you know the method works and that you can do it. Possible causes of yeast failure:

      -a too-hot ingredient killed the yeast (frankly, doubtful)
      -too-cold water; this requires a very long resting period to rise, up to 36 hours (only two hours should be done on the counter with an egg-based dough like this and the rest in fridge)
      -outdated yeast
      -a mixing error. Based on what you said above, that seems the most likely given that the dough was much “harder.” I’d guess you measured the flour or water incorrectly. Jeff

  22. Love the 2 books and making bread often. We are not huge fan of dried fruits. Do you have any recommendations for the chocolate panettone? Which chocolate to use and amount? Any liquor to use?
    Thanks and Happy New Year!
    Adelina.

    1. Hi Adelina,

      You can use chopped chocolate such as valrhona, Scharffen Berger, Callebaut or any other high quality chocolate. You can use about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chocolate. You could use a touch of brandy in place of some of the water in the dough.

      Enjoy and let me know how it goes.

      Thanks, Zoë

  23. wish i can send pictures of the panettone. the dough was in the fridge for 28 hrs. took pictures from when i cut a 1.5 slice and put it on the mold (measures 6 in x 4.25 in). This rested for 2..25 hrs, cold to the touch but still it did’nt get that much more give to the touch.
    Taking note of what you said earlier, I didn’t wait anymore. Put it in a preheated 375 oven and cooked only for 45 min (i set the time for shorter baking time because the bread dough is really
    small). Very little oven spring, had better consistency than the last one, nice color to the bread, and the additional 1/4 cup honey made it closer in taste to panettones I am used to.

    Question: given the not so great a result I had, what would you suggest I do to the rest of the dough to improve it. You think adding a little bit more yeast (as in mixing the yeast with warm water) and re-mix the dough?

    I just baked an Artisan Bread sundried tomato boule with parmesan cheese and it turned out great. Wish I can perfect my panettone bread! My girl friend is saying she doesn’t get my obsession to achieve this result.

    1. Hi Amy,

      Did you tell me what kind of flour you are using? Is there anything else you can tell me about the dough that may be helpful. Does it seem dry or very loose?

      How warm is the room you are resting it in?

      Is the dough rising well in the initial first 2 hour rise?

      You aren’t baking at high altitude are you?

      Thanks, Zoë

  24. Well, the yeast was to blame! I made a batch of basic bread this weekend and it wouldn’t raise either (waited for about 2 hours, and there was nothing). I mixed in some of my sourdough starter, and all was well. Bought new yeast now, and mixed a batch of semolina bread – that did raise. Mystery solved, I guess (I must have lost count of the flour cups as well, but if the yeast was fine, it would have risen at least a bit)

  25. Amber: good to hear. Yes, even if the dough was too dry, it would have risen– I’m sure it was your yeast. Jeff

  26. Am using King Arthur Unbleached AP flour. The kitchen is at an ave of 64 degree. The dough rose to just a little bit over 4 qts. Mayb e 5 qts. The changes I made were: added the 1/4 c honey and 2 Tbs flour.

    1. Hi Amy,

      King Arthur Flour is one of my favorites, but it is higher in protein so it requires that you add a bit more water to the recipes. Protein absorbs more water so it makes a dryer dough than we are calling for. Since you have added the extra honey, you just eliminate the extra flour that you also added. This may be enough, or you may actually need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to the dough. More info: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=140

      This may be the problem, I hope it helps! Zoë

  27. my AB in 5 and HB in 5 arrived yesterday! Been using the library copy. So many recipes to try. Next on my list will be the rolls and then brioche. Am so excited!

  28. thanks for your response. guess i’ll make the changes next year as i’m done for now with panettone.

    in the meantime, i’m curious. most recipes ask for the dried fruits to be soaked in rum, if i do this, how would it affect the liquid for the dough?

  29. Hi, I’ve been making your A in 5min master recipe for some time both in a dutchie and the regular oven and its turned out great.
    Two days ago I mixed up a batch of Soft American-style White Bread and also a batch of Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from your Healthy in 5mins book.
    I didn’t have All-Purpose flour and had to use KAF bread flour as a substitute for the white bread.
    Last night when preparing to bake both, the white bread dough had a sharp smell to it.
    The crumb was similiar to store brought bread and had a tangy sharp taste to the point of being unpleasant.
    The wheat bread had a similiar crumb.
    I used pans for both breads and both breads needed about two hours to rise while sitting on the back of our pellet stove. There was some oven spring and both were baked for 45mins.
    The white bread dough seemed unusual in the way it stuck to the bucket vs your A in 5mins master recipe.
    Not sure where I went wrong.
    thanks

    1. Allen: If you swap in KAF bread flour, that’s going to change everything. In our FAQs page, we talk about the water adjustment you need with different flours (see the entry “Flour Varieties…”). I’m not 100% certain that this problem explains all the trouble you had with this batch, but I’d certainly like to know how you make out, either increasing the water as we recommend, or switching back to unbleached AP.

      You can add in some water even now… just dump it on, let it sit overnight and much of it will absorb. You can work it a little next day, using a little flour on your fingers but not enough to dry it back out. Jeff

  30. Hi Jeff, I missed the water adjustment info, thanks for that.
    I will try making a new batch tonite with bread flour and more water and will also try the recipe with KAF all-purpose flour.
    I’ll report back with my results.
    thanks much,
    Allen

  31. I’m wondering if the panettone dough can be frozen in the paper wrappers, as long as the wrappers are buttered (wrapped in plastic, etc. per the directions for freezing in previous posts) and then follow the usual thaw overnight in frig and then let rest on counter until baking….

    Will this have an adverse effect? I’m thinking of making several batches so that I can give small loaves for Easter, with a copy of your book. We usually do an egg bread/braided broiche for Easter for several of our “seniors” who miss it from their childhood. Using the Panettone would be stellar.

    PS: Thanks for revolutionizing our bread baking. We homeschool and now we make our “daily bread” together. When friends come over, they get to make a loaf to take home. LOVE IT!

    1. Hi Alana,

      I love this idea. It should absolutely work. My one warning is that I don’t think the doughs made with lots of eggs rise quite as well after being frozen for more than a couple of weeks. You may need to let them rest longer before baking.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

  32. Can you do a gluten free version of the Panetonne or suggest how to adapt a recipe from the Healthy Artisan book.

    1. Anita: Start with the Gluten-Free Brioche recipe in our Healthy Bread… book, but modify the dough– add fruits and extracts as in the original recipe at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/12/20/panettone-the-sweet-fruit-studded-christmas-bread. Compensate for the liquids in the extracts.

      Might have to decrease those fruits a bit, since GF brioche doesn’t have the supporting structure of wheat panettone. This may take some experimentation on your part– we haven’t tested what I’m suggesting. Jeff

  33. I’m making this again this year to give out as gifts as it was such a hit last year. I got sucked into ordering Fiori di Sicilio when I was at the King Arthur site ordering my papers–it wasn’t hard, the reviews on it were RAVE. In your opinion, would I replace the lemon extract, the lemon, and the vanilla if I used 1/2 tsp of this citrusy vanilla-ey flavoring? thanks so much!!!!!
    congrats on the new book, too; it’s on my xmas list and I ALWAYS get what’s on my xmas list!

    1. Hi Marcia,

      I would replace the lemon extract and leave the zest and vanilla in place. Try it and see what you think, it will be lovely!

      Cheers, Zoë

  34. Hello. I would very much like to make your gluten free panatone muffins however I am unable to find potato flour where I live. Is there a substitute?
    Many thanks!

    1. Hi Beth,

      Potato flour acts very differently than other flours and I’m not sure you can successfully replace it with another. You can make this recipe with the brioche dough from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, which doesn’t have any potato flour.

      Thanks, Zoë

  35. I am baking penntone tomorrow, just mixed the dough it rose so pretty well. I dont have Penntone mould or can get it from anywhere where i am currently located. Is there any other creative way to get a high rise pennetone. I have an 8″ round cake mould only. If I use that how much dough should I use. Thankyou for your responses. Farah

    1. Hi Farah,

      I have made molds out of parchment that is in an 8″ cake pan. You can use 2 pounds of dough and let it rest for about 2 hours before baking. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes.

      Thanks, Zoë

  36. Hello,
    A question about what to bake panettone in if you don’t have the molds:

    I know that traditionally the cake is supposed to be suspended upside down for a while after it is done baking, which keeps the loft.

    Should I bake it in my angel food pan, which has posts above the rim to allow for this post-bake inversion? (It is the kind with a hollow in the center.)

    Or should I bake it in a pyrex glass bowl with straight sides, putting a collar of buttered brown paper around the sides, tied with twine?

    BTW, a much less expensive way to get that floral essence into panettone is orange blossom water. It is quite inexpensive, and lovely on anything with fruit or with dairy.(It is standard in Neopolitan ricotta and wheat berry pie for Easter.) You can probably get it in any store catering to people from the Middle East, Armenia, etc.

    Many thanks!Your books and website are a great resource!

    1. Hi Speranza,

      I use parchment to make a mold and bake it in a cake pan. You can tie it with string to keep it closed as it bakes.

      I love orange blossom water, what a great idea!

      Thanks, Zoë

  37. I plan to make several panettone for Christmas gifts this year along with your marmalade. From the time I bake them, how long would you guess these would keep? I know the store-bought versions last for months, but those are loaded with preservatives. Thanks in advance.

    1. I’m afraid that without preservatives or dough conditioners, it’s not going to be very good the next day even. Better strategy might be to make a large quantity of dough that’ll sit well in the fridge for 5d. Then bake off as you distribute the gifts?

    1. Hi Layne,

      Are you wanting to use beer in the panettone? I think it may be a bit strong for this recipe, but you could try it some of the others.

      Thanks, Zoë

  38. I grew up in Peru and Panettone is a staple food and tradition during the Christmas season. I love love love panettone and when I moved to the US I was super excited to find it at one grocery store. I have found them now at Trader Joe’s as well and I like it a lot. I am very picky with my Panettone so it has to be right. I have introduced it to my children and they love it as well and it has become a tradition now. I have known about your recipe for a while now, but have never attempted to bake it. I am afraid it will not turn out right and so I just keep buying them. But I am glad you posted about it because I have not run into anyone (other than fellow expats) that knows what Panettone is and even after tasting it they are not as excited about them as I am.
    Anyway, my youngest child is allergic to peanuts so shopping for breads and other food is always a task ensuring there is no risk for cross-contact. I was glad to find out that the ones at trader joe’s were safe for her, but with food manufacturing, things always change. So, I am thinking I am going to try the panettone recipe and if it turns out good then I will start making my own. The only way to control the ingredients. We go through about 10 panettones every holiday season because we love it that much!!
    Where you do you buy your paper molds? I think this would be the way to go, and it will make it look like the ones we buy at the store!! When you use the paper molds, do you grease them before placing the dough in them? You say the have enough structure to stand on their own, so you don’t bake them on a cookie sheet or stone and go directly on the rack right?
    I think I have time to start practicing and be ready by Christmas!

    1. Hi. You can bake them right on the rack or on a baking sheet, which makes it easier to get in and out of the oven.

      Enjoy, Zoë

  39. Hi,

    A few years ago I bought the New Artisan Bread in Five.

    I’ve always had a curiosity.

    In terms of dough, there only one difference between the Brioche and the Panettone recipes: the quantity of butter.

    How come the panettone recipe contains less butter? Wouldn’t it be softer using the brioche dough? Or would the extra butter have a negative impact on the rise of the Panettone?

    Thanks,

    Romeo

    1. Well, I think it’d work just fine. The reason they’re different is that both of these are very old traditional recipes. When we base our stuff on a tradition, we have to make a lot of changes to fit our method, but we try to preserve the traditional flavor. Panettone is just a little more bread-y, and Brioche is just a little more pastry-ish–so it takes more butter.

  40. Thank you for the softest panettone recipe! However, my first attempt reminds me of the finest pillowy brioches from French bakeries. Since I like my panettone a bit sweeter and tangy, please help with few adjustments:
    1) How much sweetener can I add to the dough? The 1/2 cup of honey is barely discernible, and don’t think the extra 1/4 cup will change much. I can add more sugar, right?
    2) I substituted lemon juice for lemon extract. Can I add more lemon juice?
    3) Lastly, after the initial 2-hour rise at room temperature, how long do I chill the dough before I can shape/rest/bake? I’m looking for the shortest wait time 🙂

      1. Wow, thank you for the prompt response, Jeff! A Kindle search came back with at least 3-hour chilling. I’m making cinnamon buns with the remaining dough and quite sure that my neighbors will appreciate various flavor experimentations.

  41. I made the Caramel Pecan sticky rolls yesterday with the buttermilk dough. They turned out great.

  42. Hi
    Your panettone recipe sounds delicious. I would like to use 1lb coffee cans Should I just cut the parchement paper and fit in into the coffee cans , fill and bake how long?
    TIA

    1. Hi Geraldine,

      Lining the can with parchment will help to insure the bread will come out with ease. You may need a bit more dough to make the classic shape, so you’ll need to increase the rising time and baking time. The shape (wide vs tall) will play a roll in how long the bread bakes. You can test the loaf by tapping the top when it is deep caramel color and make sure it is set and not at all soft.

      Thanks, Zoë

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