Italian Panettone Bread Fruit Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is panettone the same as fruit cake? ›

It's a light, fluffy, buttery bread that lacks the boozy density of fruitcake. If you're ever wondering about the fundamental difference between fruitcake and panettone, know this: while one was created out of necessity, the other was created out of love.

The holidays in Italy wouldn't be complete without panettoni and pandori: they are as iconic as a tree, wreath, or mistletoe in other cultures. Traditionally, Italians give the festively wrapped cakes as gifts, as they symbolize luck and prosperity through the New Year.

Straight from the box: The simplest and perhaps most traditional way to enjoy panettone is to cut it into wedge-shaped slices and eat it as is, savouring its soft, sweet crumb and the bursts of candied fruit or chocolate chips, depending on the variety.

The standard ones are candied orange peel, rum-soaked raisins, hazelnuts, chocolate chips and pearl sugar. But you can really add whatever you want. For me, I'd drop the orange peel and raisins and go all chocolate and nut. You will need a panettone mold, and Wade suggests getting one on Amazon from Novacart.

Panettone tends to be a little more expensive than most other baked goods, mainly due to the amount of time that goes into making each one. A traditional panettone is usually a lengthy procedure, however, a cheap mass-produced alternative will take shortcuts in the baking process which will be reflected in its taste.

It is made during a long process that involves curing the dough, which is acidic, similar to sourdough. The proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffy characteristics.

Yes, indeed, Panettone remains the favorite for Christmas binges. The Milanese dessert is preferred by 46% of Italians, while the Pandoro is in second place with 37%. Third place goes to other typical local sweets, which account for 17%. Men strongly prefer Panettone, with 50% favoring it, over 33% selecting Pandoro.

The main difference between pandoro and panettone lies in the shape, an eight-pointed star for the former and a cylinder with a domed top for the latter, and in their defining flavours: the pandoro is presented in all its simplicity, covered with a dusting of icing sugar, while the panettone is enriched with candied ...

Although their different shapes and textures suggest otherwise, panettone (tall and light) and stollen (long and dense) are made from a basic butter- and sugar-enriched yeast dough. Panettone typically contains candied orange peel and raisins; traditional stollen had candied lemon peel and dried cherries as well.

Toasted with sweet topping

Perhaps our favourite combination must be freshly toasted panettone topped with a decadent, sweet topping. For example, thickly spread with rich Piemontese chocolate & hazelnut spread or simply buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for a festive twist.

What time of day do Italians eat panettone? ›

Italians typically pair panettone with their morning coffee, but its versatility knows no bounds. We've curated a list of our favourite serving suggestions and pairings to elevate your Christmas panettone.

Since the dough is very rich, but also very airy, it tends to collapse and deflate as soon as it cools. For this reason, traditional panettone is skewered with a special rack right when it comes out of the oven, and immediately hung upside down for 8 hours to cool and rest.

This recipe works best with high gluten flour or normal bread flour modified with added vital wheat gluten. It is available on some stores and online too. But, I used King Arthur bread flour (12.7% gluten) and added some Fairhavan Mill 00 pizza flour. 00 Pizza flour has a very fine granule and high gluten percentage.

noun,plural pan·et·to·nes [pan-i-toh-neez], Italian pan·et·to·ni [pah-net-taw-nee]. an Italian yeast-leavened bread, traditionally eaten on holidays, usually made with raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy.

According to tradition, the meal for Christmas Eve, La Vigilia, doesn't have any meat. It's all fish and vegetables. That's in keeping with most meals served on the eve before a religious festival in Italy: You're supposed to have a giorno di magro, eating lean to help purify your body for the holiday.

Fruitcake was historically referred to as plum cake in England from around 1700.

Pandoro is an Italian Christmas cake that bears a resemblance to the Traditional Panettone but has a unique character all its own. This sweet and aromatic bread is a beloved tradition in the Veneto region, especially in the city of Verona.

Panettone is a traditional cake-like bread stuffed with dried raisins and candied orange and lemon peel from Milan that has been embraced by fans worldwide. Immigrants to the Americas brought with them their love of panettone.

Instantly recognisable for its tall, domed shape, panettone is more a bread than a cake, its sweet dough studded with candied fruits and raisins. Popular worldwide, it's usually pinpointed for its two main associations: with Christmas and with Italy.