Christmas Bakes 3

 

A firm favourite at Christmas, Italian pannetone  has usurped the place of barmbrack (which I recall arriving parcel post from Ireland each year.)  Rich sweet but still light it is truly seductive.  The good news is that you don't have to get it imported from Italy, you can make the real thing fresh at home! 

Over the years I have gathered more than one pannetone baking tin, but this year the large one (below)is not going to be used due to the restrictions on family gatherings. Instead I am making one larger and two smaller ones so that they can be "gifted" to other households.

 

Recipes are widely available online and you will want to adapt any one you choose to allow for tastes. Some use fresh peel or candied.  Some add chocolate or cherries or all sorts of things. The good news is you can choose your own fruit mix depending on what you like (and what you have in store). My go to recipe since 2012 has been Dan Lepard's - with adaptations. He tops off the loaf just before baking with a sweet nutty paste and some whole almonds. 

Ready for the final rise

Many traditional recipes include overnight proving in the fridge but as long as you leave plenty of time (4-6 hrs or so) for that final rise there is no problem.  (You should feel how cold our kitchen gets anyway!)

Oven ready

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 A further spring while baking makes for a light texture.

Fresh out of the oven

 With plenty of butter and sugar these keep for ages, well wrapped or in a tin, and never fail to impress!