Dessert - Panettone

By SallySmo

Almost every region in Italy has its own holiday cake, but this Milanese cake is the most famous and certainly the most difficult to make. Panettone is available both in a high, dome shape or flat version. Natural yeast (that is, a piece of fermented dough) is essential to making a real panettone, because if the cake is made directly from brewers yeast, its flavor is less delicate. In addition, the process of letting the dough rise must be carried out according to very specific instructions so that the result will be a soft and airy texture. In any case, the time required for rising depend on many factors: the temperature of the room, the season, the length of the mixing process, etc. Therefore the periods of time given in the recipe can only be approximate

Ingredients

• 1 oz. baker's yeast
• 3 oz..flour
• 2 cups flour
• 7 Tbs. sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 5 egg yolk
• salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 6 Tbs. soaked, squeezed raisins
• 2 oz. candied orange and lemon peel, diced
• 1 1/2 Tbs. butter

Preparation

Step 1

Mix the yeast with the flour and as much water as necessary to achieve an elastic dough, wrap in a towel and put into a warm draft-free place (an unlit oven for example) until it has doubled (should take approx. 30 minutes) in volume and the surface is uneven Make, a small fontana with 4 Tbs. flour. Crumble the dough cake on top of it, add 2 cup warm water and knead until you have a soft and elastic dough. Let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.

Punch down the dough, then, knead in another 4 Tbs. flour, with as much warm water as necessary. Place the dough in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.

Combine the sugar, the whole egg and the yolks, mix well and cook in a double boiler for a few minutes, beating the mixture with a whisk so that it becomes light and airy. Let cool.

Make another fontana with the remaining flour. Put in a pinch of salt the risen dough, the butter and the egg mixture into the middle. Knead energetically for 20 minutes. When the dough is smooth and elastic, add the raisins and candied peel.

Grease and flour a sheet of waxed paper and place the dough in the middle. Make a ring around it with a rectangular piece of cardboard and let rise in a warm place for at least 6 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.

With a sharp knife cut a cross on top of the cake and put 1 Tbs. butter in the middle. Cook the panettone in a preheated 400 F. oven for 40-45 minutes. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry