No Store-Bought Panettone is as Good as My Sicilian Grandma's 50+ Year-Old Recipe

Yahoo! News ^ | Theresa Greco

[nickcarraway]

My gandma's panettone. It's officially the holiday season, that period of time from Thanksgiving till the New Year where you find yourself eating all the wonderful things you only have once a year.

Growing up in an Italian household in inner-city Philadelphia, one of these annual holiday treats was my Sicilian grandma's panettone. The traditional Italian sweet bread typically came studded with candied citron, and bourbon- or rum-soaked raisins, depending on who made it.

My grandma was a whiz in the kitchen and the delicious sweet brioche-like bread was her specialty. One of my fondest childhood memories is waking up to the sweet smell of this part cake, part bread cooling on the kitchen counter. The bread was always presented whole, sometimes still in its mold - and it wasn't until the entire family was seated around the table that it would be cut into large wedges and served with lots of European butter.

[nickcarraway]

[Spacetrucker]

That looks INCREDIBLY delicious 😋

[Spacetrucker]

An aside, I have been an avid fan of old-world cooking for most of my 53 years on God’s earth, so I have a,small amount of expertise in the edibility of ... food 😆

[Redcitizen]

Picture looks delicious.

“ After you get the sponge started, you’ll mix the raisins with the brandy and let that marinate at least four hours or overnight. The booze will soak into the dried fruit, making it extra moist and delicious.”

[SaveFerris]

(dried fruit)

Slice up the fruitcake

For we need a little Christmas 🎄🎁⛄

Right this very minute

https://youtu.be/XMEFH96WDh4?si=sjVX-jiOCkJYNaB7

[Libloather]

$7.99 - Wal-Mart.

[magua]

That looks great. Altomonte’s in Doylestown Pa.it has a pretty good Panettone. It’s made in Sicily. I think the best way to have it. Put a slice in the toaster oven. And the moment you see it starting to smoke pull it out put some butter on it. Have a cappuccino ready and enjoy. Here’s the best part when you toasted it entire house smells of panettone .

[IamConservative]

One side of my family is Scottish. My wife’s Grandfather was born in Scotland and they take their shortbread seriously. Must have certain measures of specific flours. One of the flours is white rice flour. Her Grandfather had quite the time finding rice flour in the midwest in the 80’s. Seemed like he spent the entier fall looking for shortbread flour.

Shortbread is a perfect fat pill. Fat, sugar and highly processed flour. Probably not a worse food you can eat.

[Adder]

It IS a labor of love to make from scratch. But so rewarding to eat it.

So much better than the store bought ones. But pricey to make.

[logi_cal869]

I'm Italian (and a baker/cook at heart) and never heard of it. Intrigued, I am.

Additionally, I'm impressed:

You simply don't see such ingredients on display more than rarely. Kudos to the author.

[logi_cal869]

From the article:

My Grandma’s Panettone

Ingredients
1/3 cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)

1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup regular raisins

1/4 cup brandy

5 tablespoons butter, softened

2 large eggs

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

¼ cup warm water (110º to 115ºF)

4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon vanilla

Grated zest of 1 medium orange + 1 medium lemon

1 paper panettone mold

To make the sponge, in a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the flour and stir with a spoon or your fingers to make a loose, almost liquid, dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and brandy, and let marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, eggs, yolks, sugar, warm water and vanilla together until combined. Drain the marinated raisins in a small strainer set over a bowl and press on the raisins with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the raisins aside and add the liquid to the egg mixture.

Add the sponge and mix well with your hands. Add the flour a little at a time, mixing with your hands until a ball of dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed. Butter a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 6 hours in a warm place.

Butter and flour a panettone mold at least 6½ inches tall and 7 to 8 inches wide. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Flatten the dough out with your hands and sprinkle on the zest.

In a small bowl, mix the raisins with 1 tablespoon flour until coated, and sprinkle the mixture over the dough. Fold the dough in half, press the edges together, and knead to distribute the fruits. Continue to knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, adding additional flour if necessary. Place the dough in the mold, cover with a clean cloth, and let rise for 35 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Cut an X in the top of the bread. Bake for 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 375ºF, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350ºF, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, rotating half way.

If the top begins to brown too much, cover the bread loosely with a piece of foil. Cool the bread on a rack for about 30 minutes before serving.

[Redcitizen]

Hmm.

Now that you mention it- a little taste of fruitcake will do.

I’m no connoisseur of it so even the Walmart. Brand will do.

😁

[ViLaLuz]

That’s a great Italian grocer. It’s the only place I can find XXXX sharp provolone without having to go into Philadelphia, which we won’t do anymore. Excellent cheese section. Altamonte also has all the premium quality deli meats for muffaletas. Never tried their panetone though. I bet it’s good.

[Huaynero]

“a little taste of fruitcake will do.”

Simply put, panettone is everything that fruit cake isn’t.
Never had the good fortune to try authentic Italian panettone. Christmas morning treat on this side is a buttered slab of Peru’s “Donofrio Panetón”. Served up with hot chocolate made with chunks of “Abuelita” brand chocolate and evaporated milk, it’s a notch below addictive! On my ever expanding bucket list is tucking into a homestyle “Feast of the Seven Fishes ‘ - “Festa dei Sette Pesci”. Until then an occasional Peruvian style “captain’s platter – “Jalea” will reluctantly suffice.

[aquila48]

I bought a couple at Costco. Probably not as good as that one, but not bad!

[telescope115]

It sounds and looks WONDERFUL!
I’ve only had the store-bought version.

[Flaming Conservative]

Wal-Mart makes great fruitcake. None of that nasty citron, just nuts, raisins, dates and candied cherries and pineapple.