Italian Panettone Made Easy - Christmas Sweet Bread

Video Description

Making homemade panettone feels like a little holiday project and this version is incredibly fun to prepare. I tweaked the classic method to keep it approachable while still giving you that tall, fragrant, ultra soft Italian Christmas bread that everyone loves. If you want a panettone that rises beautifully, tears into long strands and fills your kitchen with citrus aroma, this method delivers exactly that. This recipe happens over two days for the best flavor. The process is divided into the Starter, the First Dough, the Flavor Mix and the Second Dough. Preparing ingredients for each step ahead of time keeps everything smooth. *My other awesome channels:* Food Language 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@Food-Language Cookie Corner 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@The-Cookie-Corner ============= *Section 1: Biga (Starter)* ============= *Ingredients:* * Bread flour*: ½ cup (60g) * Fresh yeast: 1 ½ tsp. (5g) (or dry yeast: ¾ tsp. / 2.5g) * Water: 2 tbsp. (30ml) ** Note: I recommend strong flour with at least 13% protein content for all the steps. *Steps:* 1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough. 2. Tear into small pieces. 3. Cover and ferment for 10 to 12 hours until bubbly and full of life. This is the engine that makes the panettone rise. ============= *Section 2: First Dough* ============= *Ingredients:* * Water - ½ cup (120ml) * Bread flour - 1 ½ cups (200g) * Sugar - 4 tbsp (50g) * Egg yolks - 3 * Room temperature butter - ¼ cup (50g) For the aromatic mix (needed for the next step): * Soaked raisins: ½ cup (70g) * Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon (organic) * Honey: 1 tbsp. (20g) *Steps:* 1. Tear the *biga* and place it in the mixing bowl. 2. Add the *water* and *bread flour*. Mix until it starts coming together. 3. *Tear* the dough again to help it hydrate better. 4. Add the *egg yolks.* 5. *Mix* for about 10 minutes. You can increase the speed. 6. Scrape the bowl and bring the dough together. 7. Add the *sugar* and mix until the dough becomes shiny. 8. Add *half of the butter,* mix until incorporated, then *add the rest.* 9. *Knead* for about 10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Be careful not to overmix, stop when it's shiny and elastic (see next step). 10. Perform a *windowpane test* for elasticity. 11. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 12. Soak the *raisins* in water (or orange juice, if preferred), let them soak overnight. 13. Grate the *orange and lemon zest.* 14. Mix the *honey* and *citrus zest* together. Let sit overnight to infuse flavors. ============= *Section 3: Second Dough (the next morning)* ============= *Ingredients:* * Two egg yolks * Salt - ½ tsp (3g) * Bread flour - ⅓ cup (50g) * Sugar - 4 tbsp (50g) * Butter - 5 tbsp (70g) * Optional: Candied orange peel - ⅓ cup (50g) * Aromatic mixture from the previous step (zest and honey) * Soaked raisins *Steps:* 1. Remove the dough from the fridge. It will have risen slightly. 2. Deflate it. 3. Add the *egg yolks* and *salt.* Mix until fully combined. 4. Add the *bread flour* and mix for 10 minutes. 5. Add the *sugar* and mix again. 6. Mix in the *aromatic honey citrus mixture.* 7. Add half the *butter,* combine briefly, then add the rest. 8. Knead for 5 minutes and check elasticity with a windowpane test. 9. Add the raisins and candied peel. Mix gently by hand or with a very short low speed mix. ============= *Shaping and Baking* ============= 1. Let the dough rest for 1.5 hours. 2. Grease your work surface with oil or butter. 3. Lift the dough from the center, fold it over itself, and rotate to create tension. 4. Rest 30 minutes. Repeat folding. 5. Rest another 30 minutes. Do a final tightening and shape into a ball. 6. Place it into a 1 kg panettone mold (7 inch or 18 cm diameter and 4.5 inch or 11.5 cm height). 7. Cover and let rise until the dough is 2 cm from the top. 8. Score the top with two cuts. 9. Place a small piece of butter in the center. 10. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 55 minutes in a convection oven, or 320°F (160°C) for conventional ovens. 11. Immediately pierce the sides with skewers and cool upside down to preserve structure. Keep the panettone in the mold until completely cool, best overnight. *********************************************** Get your panettone molds here: https://amzn.to/4oFdWh4 or here https://amzn.to/4q0f9AV *********************************************** Let the panettone rest for a week inside an airtight food grade plastic bag to develop the best flavor, or enjoy it immediately and savor the results of your hard work! Enjoy your homemade panettone! Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #panettone #christmas #foodlanguage #recipe