Italian Panettone: 5 Variations on the Classic Easter Cake Recipe

Kulich has been a traditional Easter pastry since time immemorial. Every homemaker knows how to make it golden brown, fluffy, and fragrant. They also know how to decorate it so it looks appealing and makes you want to try it right away. But we always crave something more interesting and unusual.

Recently, a delicious and equally delicious alternative to Easter cake—Italian panettone—has appeared in cookbooks for home cooks. Today, we'll learn how to make this European pastry the right way at home. I've compiled five simple, step-by-step recipes with photos.

Panettone: what is it?

Panettone (Italian: panettone) is a traditional Italian dessert made with raisins and candied fruit soaked in alcohol. This cake originates from Milan. It is also made in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, and is a staple of the Christmas table in these countries.

It's still unclear how this delicacy appeared in Italian cookbooks. The pie's name is as mysterious as who and when invented this pastry. There are several theories that shed some light on this mystery.

The first version claims that panettone was first prepared by a Milanese named Antonio (pan di Antonio). A baker's apprentice made the dessert for his fiancée. According to the second version, the word "panettone" originated in the Milanese dialect, where pan del ton means "rich bread."

Another popular version tells the story of Ludovico Moro's kitchen assistant, Toni, who accidentally invented the most popular Easter cake in Italy. Toni literally saved the chef when he burned a holiday cake. The budding cook used a piece of brigha, which was intended for his Christmas baking. After mixing the dough with yeast, flour, sugar, and raisins, he let it rest, and then baked the cake. The result was a fluffy and sweet pastry. It was a delight not only to the Sforza family but also to everyone present at that Christmas. Moro recognized his apprentice's skill, naming the cake "Pan de Toni."

Be that as it may, as early as the 9th century, there is mention of a tradition of breaking off a piece of the "great bread" at Christmas and giving it to guests as a sign of respect. In the 15th century, ordinary people could only afford this luxurious bread "for the rich" on Christ's birthday. Today, however, everyone can indulge in the taste of this extraordinary panettone.

Italian Panettone: A Classic Recipe

Andy Chef's Italian panettone cake with baked milk

A fragrant and soft panettone with notes of honey and cream, followed by a hint of vanilla and citrus. The combination of flavors and aromas is unusual, yet rich and delicious.

Ingredients

• Eggs – 7 pcs.
• Milk – 190 g
• Flour – 450 g
• Sugar – 150 g
• Butter – 180 g
• Dry yeast – 7 g
• Honey – 30 g
• Orange – 1 pc.
• Lemon – 2 pcs.
• Vanilla - a pinch
• Salt - a pinch

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla, yeast, and salt. Mix.

Step 2

Pour the milk and honey into the yolks. Whisk gently until smooth.

Step 3

Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Knead the dough. Add chunks of butter and citrus zest as you go, then whisk in the cognac.

Step 4

Cover the dough with film and place it in the oven, preheated to 30–40 degrees, to rise for 3 hours.

Step 5

Knead the risen dough. Add raisins and candied fruit. Place into molds. Place in an oven preheated to 30-40 degrees Celsius until the dough rises.

Step 6

Bake for 30–35 minutes at 180 degrees. Serve.

In Italy, the birthplace of panettone, a special soft flour called Manitoba is used to make this pastry. This strong flour is made by blending hard grains milled using a special, cutting-edge technology.

Strong flour is distinguished by the percentage of its weight absorbed by water. It ranges from 65% to 80%. This indicator is indicated by the letter W. Flour is considered strong if W reaches 350 units or more. The higher the W, the stronger the flour is in its interaction with water.

Manitoba flour contains over 14% protein, 3% more than regular wheat flour. This directly affects the quality of baked goods, which are airy and fibrous. Using regular flour risks turning Italian panettone into a mundane cake.

Easter panettone with candied fruit

This unique and delicious panettone is a great alternative to traditional Easter cake. Fibrous, soft, and rich, this Italian cake, flavored with candied fruit, will delight your family and friends.

Ingredients

• Eggs – 6 pcs.
• Milk – 110 g
• Water – 75 g
• Flour – 360 g
• Sugar – 100 g
• Butter – 135 g
• Pressed yeast – 40 g
• Salt – 3 tsp.
• Candied fruits – 200 g

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 3

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Mix the dough. Dissolve 10 g of pressed yeast in 75 ml of water. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour. Add a pinch of salt. Knead until a firm dough forms.

Step 2

Place the biga ball in a clean container. Cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place for 3 hours.

Step 3

Knead the risen dough. Form it into a ball again, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Step 4

Dissolve 30 g of pressed yeast in warm milk and let it sit for 5–10 minutes.

Step 5

Combine the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk and yeast.

Step 6

Add the cooled yolks. Knead the dough.

Step 7

Add the yeast. Be sure to monitor the dough's temperature. It shouldn't rise above 24 degrees Celsius. If it does, refrigerate the dough for a few minutes. Then, continue kneading.

Step 8

While kneading, add the melted butter. The dough should be shiny and elastic.

Step 9

Add candied fruit. Mix well.

Step 10

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for 3-4 hours.

Step 11

After the time has elapsed, divide the dough into three equal parts. Place them in baking pans. Leave them to rise.

Step 12

Bake the panettone in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30–35 minutes. Enjoy!

Christmas panettone cake with chocolate and raisins

Panettone is traditionally considered a festive Christmas pastry, prepared in Europe with a variety of fillings and flavors. The vanilla cake with chocolate chips and a pleasant, fresh citrus finish deserves special attention. I'll show you how to make this exquisite and unusual panettone.

Ingredients

• Eggs – 2 pcs.
• Milk – 150 ml
• Flour – 450 g
• Sugar – 120 g
• Butter – 120 g
• Rum – 2 tbsp.
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp.
• Orange water – 1 tsp.
• Zest of 1 orange
• Yeast – 6 g
• Gluten – 2 tbsp.
• Chocolate – 50 g
• Raisins – 50 g
• Cranberries – 50 g
• Salt - a pinch

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

In a bowl, mix 150 g of flour, 2 g of yeast, 100 ml of warm milk, and 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water. Knead into a stiff dough. Form into a ball. Cover the bowl with cling film. Leave at room temperature for 3 hours.

Step 2

Pour rum over the raisins and cranberries. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Step 3

Knead the soaked dough. Transfer it to a clean container. Combine the remaining dry yeast with the milk. Pour the yeast mixture into the dough.

Step 4

Add eggs, 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, and vanilla extract. Grate in the orange zest.

Step 5

Add flour, gluten, sugar and salt. Mix the dough.

Step 6

Add the semi-melted butter. Continue kneading the dough until elastic.

Step 7

Stretch the dough out onto a surface. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, raisins, and cranberries. Roll the dough into a "pouch."

Step 8

Knead the dough so that the filling is distributed inside the product.

Step 9

Place the dough in a large bowl. Cover with cling film. Place in a warm place until the dough rises (about 3 hours).

Step 10

Knead the risen dough a little. Form it into a ball. Place it in a paper baking pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 3-4 hours.

Step 11

Brush the risen dough with egg yolk. Cut a cross into the top. Place butter in the center.

Step 12

Bake for 30 minutes at 170-180 degrees Celsius. Remove the golden-brown cake from the oven. The panettone is ready!

A classic kulich, a trendy craffin, or an exquisite panettone: have you already chosen the main pastry for the upcoming Easter holiday?

Video - Caramel panettone from Luda Easy Cook

On the channel "LudaEasyCook Positive Kitchen," I came across a signature recipe for an incredibly delicious Italian caramel panettone. Ludmila's recipe produces a textured, melt-in-your-mouth, and fragrant pastry. It's simple and easy to prepare thanks to the detailed steps in the video.

How do you prepare raisins and candied fruit? What's the best way to store brioche and dough to ensure they rise faster? What's needed for the perfect creamy caramel? You'll find all this in Lyuda Izya Cook's video recipe. The author explains how to choose the right flour for panettone to ensure a fluffy and rich cake. She also shares her own culinary life hacks and secrets. As a result, you can enjoy an authentic Italian Easter cake.