The tale of Panettone: the classic sweet of Italian Christmas
It's a tradition with very ancient roots that take us back in Milan, Italy in 1400 where the myth tells about a modest servant employed as an assistant baker at Ludovico Il Moro's court. On the very night of Christmas Eve, with the palace full of aristocratic guests, the head baker burned the cake. While panic was spreading in the kitchen, Toni, the modest assistant, decide to rescue the situation and starts to knead what it initially seemed to be a simple bread. The head baker who still was in such a state of anxiety and concern had no other options than put faith in Toni's sudden determination. The simple dough was enriched with eggs and sugar and to make it sweeter and richer, also with sultanas and candied fruits. The result was such a success that Ludovico Il Moro decided to name this delicacy after his inventor: that's how "Pan-de-Toni", literally -Toni's bread- became the most typical sweet to celebrate Christmas. Myth apart, traces of what is the forefather of the nowadays Panettone can be found in the Middle Ages manuscripts where people used to celebrate Nativity by baking a bread richer than the one eaten every day. With time the enriched bread named "Panattone" started to be sold from bakeries around Milan and other cities in Italy and around Europe. Its peculiar cupola shape, however, was introduced only in early '900 by Angelo Motta who decided to give to this traditional sweet its own personality and to untie it from its bread like relation.
Artisan or Industrial?
Well, the answer should be obvious...artisanal! The difference? Just think about how long in advance you can find Panettone in big distribution shelves! This means that industrial production is dated back to some months before Christmas. Not to mention that industrial Panettone is necessarily full of preservatives that inevitably undermine its true flavour.
The Making of
Making a Panettone takes time and patience: the rules to follow are strict and no room for mistakes is allowed. The main phase of production are:
Double kneading and double leavening - The importance of properly incorporating the ingredients and their succession is as much important as the duration and conditions, in terms of temperature and humidity, of the leavening.
Shaping - Strictly handmade, the "pirlatura" is essential to give the right spherical shape.
Final leavening - It must happen in the specific mould and it's when the "scarpatura" (the incision of the top) is made
Baking - 175°C for 50 minutes (for 1 kg)
Cooling - Rigorously upside down!
Ingredients
Water, Flour type 0, Eggs, Sugar, Salt, Butter, Brewer's yeast, Natural yeast, Raisins, Candied Fruits, Aroma.
To make our Panettone we use high-quality ingredients and no preservatives of any kind. Our Aroma is given by vanilla pods (and not vanilla extract), almond oil and homemade ground candied orange peel. Our Panettone requires a strong 48 hrs before it could make its appearance at your table. But then, you will be repaid by its taste and smell.
Sharing is the key
Gather around Christmas tree, play some festive music and cut a slice of Panettone for everyone in the room!