Sourdough Panettone (beginner-friendly)

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Beginner friendly, simplified version. Can be made in one-day if you plan ahead. No need of gluten powder. This recipe doesn’t use a pasta madre or a commercial grade bread mixer.

Let’s make a no-fuss Panettone. The famous Italian sweet bread that is enjoyed all over the world over Christmas and New Year. I still remember learning to bake the yeasted version at Bakery School back in Melbourne. I hated the strong orange blossom scent that was used and made a mental note at that moment to never use the essence ever again. So yes, I don’t use orange blossom water but I do use fresh Orange zest and orange juice (as a soak) instead. This, I find, adds a more natural fragrance and freshness to the bread.

Panettone really is a brioche like bread with lots of butter, eggs (or egg yolks) and dried fruit (soaked overnight). There are million different ways to making this bread and I will just mention the two most commonly used or talked about methods. These are rough explanations just to give you a basic idea about what to expect.

Traditional method: Traditionally, this bread is made (leavened) using a very strong stiff levain (pasta madre) which is being prepped ahead of time. Usually flour + water/milk + bit of butter and eggs is mixed with the pasta madre or the levain and kneaded to a smooth glutenous dough. This is called the “first dough”. This is then slow fermented overnight (10 hours or so) until tripled. Then on the second day, everything else (rest of the butter, eggs, sugar, a little flour etc) are added and mixed until you get a silky dough. Soaked fruit is then mixed in. This silky dough or the “second dough” is then divided, pre-shaped, shaped before being placed in molds and proofed. The proofed bread is then baked.

Everyday method: You can use commercial yeast (instant yeast/active dry) and make this bread in a shorter period of time. Here you would bloom the yeast with some flour and milk/water (sponge). Then add the rest or the flour, sugar, salt, eggs (or yolk) and mix until a firm dough is developed. Then add the soft butter and continue to mix until a silky, elastic dough is developed. The soaked fruit is then added and mixed just until incorporated. This dough is then bulked until double. Then it is divided, pre-shaped and shaped. Shaped dough can then be placed in molds, proofed and baked.

Other ways you can make this bread;
– use instant yeast and add sourdough for flavor
– make a stiff levain using commercial yeast and use that
– use liquid sourdough levain
– use sourdough levain and mix everything in one dough and bulk as a single dough
– use instant yeast and slow bulk/ferment the dough in the fridge (retard)

So as you can see there are many ways to achieve the same flavorful bread but with slight differences. The slower the dough is fermented the more flavorful it will be. At the end of the day, all these methods will produce a delicious, light and fragrant bread that anyone will gobble up without a complain.

So this is why I came up with this process. If you don’t feel like spending a lot of time and energy but still want to capture the flavor, texture and incorporate some of the traditional ways, then you are at the right place.

I will be using a sweet stiff levain for this bread, which you can make using your active fed sourdough starter that you already have. I use this same type of sweet stiff levain to make other sweet sourdough bread like brioche, cinnamon rolls, babka etc.

As usual lets break down the process into steps and talk about them separately.

Note: If your stiff levain didn’t grow much within 12 hours or if it smells very very acidic, I suggest you re-feed the levain. So you take some of the stiff levain that you just made and mix it with flour, water(you might need a little extra water this time) and sugar just like before and knead into a tight dough ball and let it ferment. If the first didn’t grow, probably this second one will. You can of course repeat the process until you get a satisfactory stiff levain. Normally, if your sourdough starter is well maintained (regularly fed and refreshed) making a stiff levain will be very easy.

Why Skewers:
This bread is hung upside down as soon as it comes out of the oven. This is how the bread is going to cool for at least 4 hour (preferably overnight) or longer. If you don’t do this, delicate and soft crumb structure will collapse under it’s own weight. If the bread collapses the crumb will be dense and will not turn out as light as it should be.

Panettone mold size:
There are various sizes of molds out there. I developed this recipe to fit a W-71/2 inch and H-41/2 inch mold. This recipe will produce a dough that weighs roughly 1.2 kg. If you have other sizes, here is the formula to know the dough size that fits each mold:

dough weight in grams = volume of the mold x 0.4 (or 0.37 for a shorter dome)
Volume = (Width in cm / 2 x Width in cm / 2) x 3.14 x Height in cm

eg:
a mold of W 5.1″ (13cm) x H 3.35″ (8.5cm) will need roughly 500g dough;
dough weight = (13/2 x 13/2) x 3.14 x 8.5 = 1,123 x 0.4 = 449g

a mold W 7.5″ (19cm) x H 4.5″ (11.5cm) will need roughly 1300g dough;
dough weight = (19/2 x 19/2) x 3.14 x 11.5 = 3259 x 0.4 = 1300g

Adding slightly more or less (about 50g) dough isn’t going to be a problem. If you like really domed top that looks like a mushroom adding slightly more dough will get you there. It is personal preference.

Here is a link to smaller molds that I sometimes use, especially when gifting.

Note: If your dough is doubled in size but if it is already too late in the day to continue, you can place it in the fridge until next day morning. Let it come to room temp and continue with the rest of the process. I usually start mixing the dough in the evening because then I can let the dough ferment overnight. Temperature in my apartment is around 70°F-72°F (20°C-22°C) so if I leave the dough to ferment around 7-8 pm it will be ready by 8am next day. If you mix the dough in the morning you can place it in the fridge and then pull out around 8pm and let it ferment overnight. You decide how you’d like to proceed.

Note: Grease your hands (use either melted butter or oil) before handling the dough from this point onwards.

Note: It’s easier to have the skewers inserted before the dough goes in. In most bakeries, they bake the bread and then insert the skewers or their special equipment. At home this can be hard, as the bread is pretty hot and while trying to insert the skewers, you might accidentally squash the bread or it may deflate. So it is easier to have them inserted beforehand. But you can try other ways and find something that works for you.

Baking:
Takes about 1 hour for this size of dough. the internal temperature should read above 195°F (90°C) for the bread to be considered done.

Note: It is critical to bake the bread properly, if not it might be raw in the center and too heavy for the skewers to hold once tipped over. Use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature. Check at 50 minutes mark and continue to bake until done. If the top is burning, cover with a piece of foil.

Note: There are several ways to decorate the top.
– score a cross and place a knob of butter in the center
– egg wash and sprinkle with pearl sugar
– egg wash and sprinkle with almond flakes
– egg wash and decorate with blanched whole almonds
– glaze made using eggs and almond meal
– leave it plain is always an option too

This bread tastes better when rested for a day as the flavors develops further. You can place the cooled bread in a plastic bag and tie to keep it fresh for 2-3 days. Place in the fridge to keep longer.