How To Make Italian Panettone At Home?

Want to make a delicious Italian holiday fruitcake at home? You can make Italian Panettone . The meaning of this word is “big bread”. However, if you want to enjoy the original version of homemade Panettone, keep in mind that it is a  labor-intensive recipe.

It requires 36 hours of proofing. However, in this article, you will learn to make this dish in less than 5 hours. You will be able to make irresistible Panettone with wonderful buttery and sweet citrus flavor and also filled with raisins and optional nuts. You can eat it in the Italian way that is with a glass of Moscato.

Let’s get into your kitchen.

Italian Panettone Ingredients

• Whole milk - 3/4 cup
• Dry yeast - 1 1/2 tablespoons
• All-purpose flour - 4 1/2 to 5 cups
• Butter - 12 tablespoons
• Sugar - 1 1/8 cups
• Salt - 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Eggs - 3
• Egg yolks - 4
• Vanilla - 1 tablespoon
• Orange juice - 1 tablespoon
• Orange Zest - 1 tablespoon
• Lemon zest - 1 tablespoon
• Raisins - 1 1/2 cup
• Butter (melted) - 2 tablespoons
• Egg (for egg wash) - 1
• chopped nuts - 1/2cup (optional)

Italian Panettone Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Sift the flour to remove small particles and set aside. This will also air the flour to give a nicer rise.
3. Take milk in a small-sized pot and heat it on low heat. Remove from heat when it becomes warm to touch or reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Add 1 cup flour after stirring the yeast into the milk. Mix well and cover for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Place the butter, salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, yolks, orange juice, lemon zest and orange zest in a bowl of a large food processor. Pulse to mix the butter properly. The mixture should look curdled.
6. After 20 minutes, move the yeast mixture to a food processor and then pulse briefly.
7. Add the remaining flour and pulse. Add one cup at a time to make sure that the dough becomes sticky and wet.
8. Move the dough onto a lightly floured counter.
9. Sprinkle nuts and raisins on top.
10. Use a large spatula or a dough scraper to fold and knead the dough. The dough must be smooth, sticky and well mixed. So, add a little extra flour if necessary.
11. Rub some flour on your hands and make a ball of dough. Place this dough ball inside a coffee can, bread pan or Panettone mold 6 to 7 inch in diameter.
12. Use melted butter to brush the top of the dough.
13. Place it in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours. Let it become almost double in size.
14. Preheat your own to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
15. Make a cross-shaped cut on the dough with a knife.
16. Bake the Panettone after brushing it with a beaten egg. Approximately after 40 minutes, it will rise and become golden brown. Tap on it gently and it will sound slightly hollow.
17. Cool it off on a cooling rack.
18. You can unmold and drizzle it with glaze if you want.
19. Cut in slices and now you can serve with softened unsalted butter.