This is the traditional Italian panettone method built on lievito madre and a two-stage dough. It’s a long fermentation, but the result is the classic tall, feathery crumb and rich aroma.
Ingredients
- First mixture
- 115 g mother yeast (lievito madre)
- 400 g high protein flour
- 200 g water
- 125 g sugar (add in 3 additions)
- 90 g egg yolks
- 120 g unsalted butter
- Second mixture
- 100 g high protein flour
- 110 g sugar
- 50 g honey
- Vanilla extract
- 160 g egg yolks (add in 3 additions)
- 6.5 g sea salt
- 215 g unsalted butter
- Optional (classic)
- Raisins and candied orange peel (fold in during second mixture)
Tip: keep dough temperature controlled (target final dough ~ 75°F / 24°C) and proof warm and steady.
Instructions
- First mixture: Break the mother yeast into pieces. Mix with flour and water on low speed.
- Add sugar in 3 additions, increasing to medium speed. Add yolks and butter gradually.
- Mix until elastic and smooth (about 30–45 min). Target final dough temp ~ 75°F. Let rise 16 hours at ~ 80–81°F.
- Second mixture: Add the second flour to the risen dough; mix 8–10 min.
- Add sugar, honey, vanilla, and yolks in 3 additions. Add salt, then softened butter until fully absorbed.
- Fold in raisins and candied orange peel (if using).
- Rest & shape: Rest dough 1 hour. Portion into 450 g balls. Shape 3 times with 15-minute rests between rounds.
- Place in paper molds. Proof at ~ 82°F and ~ 70% humidity until 1 inch from the top.
- Score & bake: Score a cross, add two butter cubes, fold flaps over. Bake at 350°F for 45–50 min (internal 187–190°F).
- Cool upside down: Invert using skewers for at least 6 hours before slicing.
✨🎄 The Legend of Panettone ✨🎄
The story tells of a young man named Toni who worked in a bakery in Milan. On Christmas Eve, exhausted after a long day, he tried to prepare a special sweet bread for the owner and his guests. On the table were simple ingredients: eggs, raisins, and sugar.
Worried about his sick mother and distracted, Toni accidentally spilled sugar into the dough. To save it, he mixed in eggs, raisins, and sugar and baked the loaves anyway. When they came out of the oven, they were soft, fragrant, and unexpectedly delicious.
The bakery owner loved it so much he called it “Pan di Toni” (“Toni’s bread”). The next day, the sweet bread was shared and quickly became famous—eventually known simply as Panettone.
Another version places panettone at the table of Ludovico il Moro during a banquet at Sforza Castle in Milan in 1495, where it won over the duke and his guests and spread throughout the city.
Nutrition
Calories: 410 · Fat: 20g · Carbs: 50g · Sugar: 25g · Protein: 6g