Panettone

Why this recipe works Originating in Milan, panettone, a tall, luxurious, candied- and dried fruit–filled sweet bread made during the Christmas season, was at one time a specialty of just northern Italy. Now panettone can be found in American supermarkets. Because it’s easy to come by, few attempt to make this gift bread at home. And existing recipes often turn out like dense fruitcake instead of the tall, light, and fluffy yet indulgently rich loaves that were once the bread of emperors and popes. We wanted to develop a recipe that was worthy of its regal history yet simple enough to make at home. Panettone is so prized because of its decadent ingredients; we packed the dough with butter, eggs, and extra yolks for richness and a golden color. But all of that fat made the bread dense and crumbly. To remedy this, we used high-protein bread flour and kneaded the dough for a full 8 minutes before incorporating softened butter, a little at a time, so the dough had a strong gluten structure to support all that fat. We stuck with traditional flavorings of golden raisins, candied orange peel, orange zest, and vanilla and almond extract to finish. We gave the rising dough a series of folds and let it ferment overnight in the refrigerator; our panettone relied on elongated fermentation and proofing times to maximize the gas development from the yeast in the dough that gives such a rich bread a remarkably light, fluffy texture and slightly tangy flavor. Because this bread is often given as a gift, our recipe makes two loaves in decorative baking paper. You can find paper panettone molds online or at kitchen supply stores. We do not recommend mixing this dough by hand. Be sure to reduce the oven temperature immediately after putting the loaves in the oven.

MAKES: 2 loaves

RESTING TIME: 1½ hours

RISING TIME: 20 to 21 hours

BAKING TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 24 to 25 hours, plus 3 hours cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: stand mixer, two 6 by 4-inch paper panettone molds, rimmed baking sheet, instant-read thermometer

INGREDIENTS:

• 1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) golden raisins
• 1½ tablespoons grated orange zest plus ¼ cup (2 ounces) juice
• 5 cups (27½ ounces) bread flour
• 2 tablespoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 cups (16 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
• 4 large eggs plus 3 large yolks, room temperature
• ⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1¼ cups (6 ounces) finely chopped candied orange peel

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Microwave raisins and orange juice in a covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let it sit until the raisins have softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and reserve the orange juice.
2. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk milk, eggs, yolks, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and reserved orange juice in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup until the sugar has dissolved. Using the dough hook on low speed, slowly add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is elastic but still sticks to the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes. With the mixer running, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until the butter is fully incorporated, about 4 minutes. Continue to knead until the dough is satiny, elastic, and very sticky, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, slowly add candied orange peel, raisins, and orange zest and mix until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 30 minutes.
4. Using a greased bowl scraper (or your fingertips), fold the dough over itself by gently lifting and folding the edge of the dough toward the middle. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold the dough again; repeat turning the bowl and folding the dough 2 more times (a total of 4 folds). Cover tightly with plastic and let the dough rise for 30 minutes. Fold the dough again, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 16 hours or up to 48 hours.
5. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 1½ hours. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a well-floured counter, divide it in half, and cover loosely with greased plastic. Press one piece of dough (keep the remaining piece covered) into a 6-inch round. Working around the circumference of the dough, fold the edges toward the center until a ball forms. Flip the ball seam side down and, using your cupped hands, drag in small circles on the counter until the dough feels taut and round and all seams are secured on the underside. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
6. Place the dough rounds into two 6 by 4-inch paper panettone molds, pressing the dough gently into the corners. Transfer them to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with greased plastic, and let them rise until the loaves reach 2 inches above the lip of the molds and the dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, for 3 to 4 hours.
7. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp paring knife or single-edge razor blade, make two 5-inch-long, ¼-inch-deep slashes with a swift, fluid motion along the top of each loaf to form a cross.
8. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until the loaves are deep golden brown, about 40 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Tent the loaves with aluminum foil and continue to bake until the loaves register 190 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit, for 20 to 30 minutes. Let the loaves cool completely on a wire rack, for about 3 hours, before serving.