Who has a good panettone recipe? Please share it with me.?

Answer 1

here's a few recipes for you good luck to you and i hope it makes its way to your best answer.




Panettone, the most traditional of Italian cakes for Christmas


Preheat the oven to 200°C (400° F)
Preparation time: Under 30 minutes
Waiting time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Cost: Reasonable
Difficulty: Relatively easy





The cherished Italian holiday bread. Jeweled with candied fruits (particularly citrus) and raisins, it first came into being in Milan about 1490 and was quickly adopted throughout Italy, from the Alps to Sicily. Legends abound concerning the origin of panettone. The most popular is one that tells of a young aristocrat smitten with the daughter of a pastry chef named Toni. To impress the father of his beloved, the young man pretended to be an apprentice pastry cook and invented a wonderful sweet dome-shaped bread of exceptional delicacy. This new fruit bread was an enormous success; people streamed into the bakery to buy the exceptional "pan de Toni."
In Milan, businessmen adopted the habit of giving panettone as a Christmas gift to their clients. However, for a long time panettone was seen as a luxury accessible only to a select few, until the development of new production techniques made it available to everyone. A process combining natural yeast and a paper mould allows the yeast to leaven the dough to produce a cake that is light as a feather.

Ingredients: flour, yeast, milk, butter, eggs and sugar, dating back to original recipes.

Presentation
Today panettone is well-known around the world and a wide range of varieties is available: cream-filled, covered with chocolate or almond icing; they are often sold in a distinctive box with a handle.

Serving
Panettone can be enjoyed in a thousand and one ways: sliced thinly or thickly, covered with various sauces, filled or topped with cream preparations. It is particularly delicious toasted for breakfast, dipped into hot or cold milk until it softens. Panettone is not only a Christmas tradition but a delicious complement to a fine meal.



Ingredients

1 1/2 cakes of fresh baker's yeast
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65 ml (1/4 c.) sugar
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6 tbsp. warm milk
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6 egg yolks
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Zest of one lemon, finely grated
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A pinch of salt
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500 - 750 ml (2-3 c.) flour
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100 ml (6 tbsp.) candied lemon, cut in dice
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100 g (6 tbsp.) + 2 tbsp. butter
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4 tbsp. sultana raisins
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4 tbsp. currants
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1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Sprinkle 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and the yeast over the warm milk and let sit 3 minutes; mix and let rest in a warm draft-free place (e.g., a warm oven that has been turned off) until the mixture has doubled in volume, approximately 5 minutes;
pour the mixture into a bowl, add in the egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest, salt and remaining sugar;
gradually mix in 500 ml (2 c.) of the flour by hand until a smooth consistency is attained - the dough should easily come together into a ball;
gradually add the butter cut into small dice and beat until the dough becomes smoother and more elastic;
add 125 to 250 ml (1/2 to 1 c.) more flour until the dough is firm and silky but not sticky;
place the ball onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes. When the dough is smooth and shiny, place into a buttered bowl; dust lightly with flour, cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm draft-free place for about 45 minutes until doubled in volume;
punch down the dough firmly with your fist and flatten it out in the bowl; add the candied lemon peel, raisins and currants and knead until well distributed but without working the dough more than necessary;
line a large bread pan with brown paper that has been well buttered on both sides; place the dough in the pan and trace a cross on top;
cover with buttered paper and let rise again in a warm place for 15 minutes;
remove the paper from the top; brush the top with softened butter.
Baking

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400° F);
place the bread pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes;
reduce the oven temperature to 160° C (350° F) and continue baking for another 30 to 40 minutes, brushing again with melted butter; the bread is done when the surface is golden and crispy;
remove from the oven; remove the paper and let cool for 15 minutes before unmoulding.






PANETTONE
Panettone




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Almost every region in Italy has its own Christmas cake, but this Milanese specialty is by far the the most famous and most difficult to make. Panettone is available both in a high, dome-shaped or flat version. Natural yeast (that is, leavened dough) is essential to making a real panettone, because if the cake is made directly from brewer's yeast, its flavor is less delicate. Besides, the process of letting the dough rise must be carried out according to very specific instructions so that the result has a soft and airy texture. In any case, rising time depends on many factors: room temperature, the season, the length of the mixing process, etc. The timing given in the recipe can therefore only be approximate.

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



See Also:

Wine Pairings
Acqui or Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG
Asti DOCG
Moscadello di Montalcino DOC

Region
Lombardy



Mix the yeast with the flour and as much water as necessary for the dough to be elastic. Wrap in a towel and put into a warm draft-free place (an unlit oven, for example) until doubled in size (it should take approx. 30 mins) and the surface is uneven. Make a small fontana with 4 tbs. flour. Crumble the dough cake on top of it, add 1/2 cup warm water and knead until the dough is elastic. Let rise in a warm place for 3 hours.
Punch down the dough, and 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 mins. 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 center. 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 size.

Cut a cross on top of the cake with a sharp knife and put 1 tbs. butter in the middle. Cook the panettone in a pre-heated 400ºF oven for 40-45 mins. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry.



Panettone
From Diana Rattray,
Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Scroll down to see more yeast breads, along with Panettone recipes from Italian Cuisine.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon (1 package) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2/3 cup raisins
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 to 5 cups or more
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped citron
PREPARATION:
Dissolve the yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Let yeast stand for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the butter, 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and 1/2 cup water together. Add yeast mixture to the egg mixture and mix well with wooden spoon. Working with spoon then hands, add the flour about 1 to 1 1/2 cups at a time and mix until a ball of dough is formed, adding as much flour as necessary to make an easy to handle dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed. Place the dough in a lightly buttered bowl; turn to coat completely with butter. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise 6 hours. Butter and flour a panettone mold or other high-sided mold, at least 6 1/2 to 7 inches tall and 7 to 8 inches wide. Punch the dough down and turn it out on a floured surface. Flatten dough out with hand; sprinkle with the lemon and orange zest. In a small bowl, mix the raisins and the citron with the 1 tablespoon flour; sprinkle fruit mixture over the dough. Fold the dough in half, press edges to seal. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the fruits are well distributed throughout and dough is smooth. While working with the dough continue to add additional flour as necessary to keep from sticking, without making too stiff. Place dough in the mold, cover with a clean cloth and let rise 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°. Cut an x in the top of the dough with a very sharp knife. Bake for 5 minutes at 400° then reduce heat to 375° and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° then bake 30 to 35 minutes longer, or until a toothpick, skewer, or cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the top starts to look to brown, cover loosely with foil. Let cool about 30 minutes on a wire rack; remove from rack and cool completely.



Recipe for Panettone


Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

Panettone

What makes this really special is the shape. If, like virtually all of us, you don't have a panettone pan (if you do, you probably got a recipe with it), you'll need to improvise a tall cylinder. The very best thing is what used to be a 2-pound coffee can (now marked 23 to 26 ounces), lined with parchment paper (or waxed paper or foil) as discussed in the recipe.

Next-best is a deep 5- to 6-inch-diameter baking dish, in which you set a cylinder of parchment paper, waxed paper or foil that sticks way up. You can just shape the dough into a rough loaf and bake it on a sheet, but where's "wow!" in that?

The kind and quantity of fruit and nuts are suggestions. Feel free to change them. Note that time is needed for soaking fruit and several risings of dough. Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection: Bread.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup snipped pieces of dried apricots
1 to 1-1/2 cups mixed candied fruit
1/3 cup anise-flavored liqueur or 1/3 cup water and 1/2 tsp. anise extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds and/or 1/2 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
two 1/4-ounce packets active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. plus 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp. sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups bread flour, divided
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs plus 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
grated zest of 1 orange
2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation:

In a shallow dish soak the raisins, apricots and candied fruit in the liqueur, covering the dish but stirring through occasionally, at least 30 minutes or overnight. Toast the nuts in a frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes. Pour them out of the pan and set aside.

Heat the milk in a saucepan or microwave--just until it is warm (100 to 115 degrees). Pour the warm milk and the 1/4 cup of warm water into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast, then stir in the 1/2 tsp. of sugar. Wait about 5 minutes, until the yeast is foaming actively, then add 1/2 cup of the bread flour, stirring until smooth. Cover loosely and let stand 30 minutes.

Stir in the melted butter, the 1/2 cup of sugar, salt, eggs and egg yolks, orange zest and the remaining 1 cup of bread flour. Stir well. Add the all-purpose flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until dough gathers and begins to pull away from the bowl.

Knead a few minutes on a floured board or in the bowl, adding flour if needed, until dough is soft, smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball. Wash and oil the bowl, turn the dough in the bowl to oil all over, cover loosely and set in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured board for a minute or so, then return it to the bowl for a second rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the panettone pans: The best choice is two empty 23- to 26-ounce coffee cans (the old "2 pound" size).

Grease the inside--careful of the underside of the rim--cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom, grease one side and set it in place, greased side up. Cut a sheet of parchment paper 8 inches wide--enough to stick up above the coffee can about 2 inches--and 18 inches long--long enough to completely line the side plus 2 inches of overlap. Grease one side and set in place, ungreased side against the can, and unwind it so it fits against the can. Paper-clip or pin the top so the paper is held at that diameter. Pull it out, fasten it at the bottom too, and put it back in.

Lacking coffee cans, look for something else cylindrical, oven-safe, 5 to 6 inches in diameter and deep--maybe a small souffle dish? What you find will probably be too shallow, so the parchment will have to stick up well above the top of it. Proceed as above, but fasten it in the middle in addition to the top and bottom. To strengthen the part above the dish, wrap a doubled sheet of foil around the outside and tie it with string near the top of the dish.

Drain the fruit, reserving the liquid. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, pat it into a large rectangle and sprinkle with half the fruit and half the nuts. Starting from a short side, roll the dough up and tuck the ends under. Pat the roll into a large rectangle again (flour the board again if necessary), sprinkle with the remaining fruit and nuts and roll up again. Knead a few times, turning exposed seams inside the ball of dough, and divide in two. Shape each half into a round-topped loaf a little smaller across than the prepared pans, pulling the top surface of each tight.

Put each ball into a prepared pan--make sure it's all the way to the bottom, not stuck on the paper--and let rise about 1-1/2 hours.

Lower an oven shelf to make room for the tall loaves and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure the risen dough in each pan has not caught on the bottom of the paper collar and lifted it. If it has, free the stuck place with a knife and fit the collar back down.

Cut an X in the tops if you like, then bake for 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake about 25 minutes more (longer if loaf is wider), until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the loaves 5 minutes in the pans, then remove and set upright on racks.

Combine the reserved fruit liquid with water to total 1/4 cup. If it's gone, combine 2 tbsp. of anise liqueur and 2 tbsp. of water (or mix 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 tsp. anise extract). Put the liquid in a small saucepan and stir in the 3 tbsp. of sugar. Heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves. Brush the hot loaves all over, twice if there's enough liquid, and let stand to cool and dry completely. If keeping before serving (up to a week), wrap tightly in plastic or foil.

Slice thinly and serve--maybe with even more butter!

Makes 2 cylindrical, dome-topped loaves.



Panettone - Italian Brioche Rating



Ingredients :
350g flour
10g brewers' yeast
120g sugar
120g butter
3 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 pinch salt
150g sultanas
1 candied orange, or packet candied orange peel
15g candied citron peel

Recipe :
Dissolve yeast in warm water, mix well with with 75g flour. Roll into a ball, score a cross on top and leave to rest for about 15 minutes.
Put the rest of the flour in a bowl in a cone shape, make a well in the middle and add sugar, salt, egg yolks, butter, lemon zest and dough.
Add a few tablespoons of warm water and combine mixture thoroughly. Work for 5 or 6 minutes, until you have a smooth paste.

Once dough detaches easily from work surface, add sultanas, orange peel and sliced citron peel.
Put mixture into a greased bowl, then leave in a warm place to rise, for 25 minutes.

Score a cross on the top, put a knob of butter on cross to soak in and put into a hot oven.
Take out after 10 minutes, open cross incisions a little more, then put back in oven for a further 40 minutes.
Serve cold.



Advice :
Panettone will keep for several days if wraped in greaseproof paper or kitchen foil.
Tastes great with capuccino, espresso or a glass of Asti Spumante.

Answer 2

not sure if you want one for the bread itself or one the bread is used in. I choose one it is used in
Eggnog-Panettone Bread Pudding

1 loaf panettone, available in Italian specialty stores, cut in half (enough for about 5 cups, diced)
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Vegetable cooking spray
Optional accompaniments:
Vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream


Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place a tea-kettle of water on to boil for a water bath. With a serrated knife, remove the side crusts from the half piece of the panettone. Cut into 3/4 to 1-inch dice. You should have 5 cups. Reserve the cubed panettone in a large mixing bowl.

For the eggnog custard, in another bowl thoroughly whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar, half and half, rum, vanilla extract, and a healthy grating of fresh nutmeg. Pour this over the bread cubes.

Spray a 12 hole muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray. Ladle the bread/eggnog mixture gently and evenly into the muffin tins. The big cubes sticking up look nice. Place the filled muffin tin in a tall sided cookie sheet or roasting pan. Transfer to the preheated oven and carefully pour the hot water from kettle onto sheet pan, creating a water bath for the muffin tin to sit in.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are nicely browned, and a toothpick comes clean from the center.

Bread pudding may be served warm or cold. Vanilla Ice cream or whipped cream would be great accompaniments.

Alternately place the muffin tin in a roasting pan on the stove. Pour in up to 1-inch of boiling water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes. The puddings will puff and a toothpick will come out clean from the center. The tops won't brown with this method. Perhaps a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar at serving time would be nice.

Ok 2

Panettone Trifle Recipe
1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
12 ounces panettone, cubed
Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, and espresso powder in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy.
Divide half of the panettone cubes among 6 wine glasses or old-fashioned glasses. Sprinkle half of the liqueur over the panettone. Top with half of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering with the remaining panettone, liqueur, and mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the trifles and serve immediately. (The trifles can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let come to room temperature before serving.)

I got both of these while watching the food network but do not remenber the shows.

Answer 3

Panettone elements; a million (.25 ounce) kit lively dry yeast a million cup warmth water (one hundred ten tiers F/40 5 tiers C) a million/4 cup white sugar 2 eggs a million/2 cup nonfat undeniable yogurt a million teaspoon vanilla extract a million tablespoon grated lemon zest a million/4 teaspoon salt 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour a million/4 cup dried currants a million/4 cup raisins a million tablespoon confectioners' sugar a million tablespoon butter, melted (non-obligatory) guidelines; In a medium bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar. conceal and allow stand 10 minutes, or until eventually foamy. upload eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. blend nicely. Stir in flour a million/2 cup at a time until eventually dough kinds right into a doable ball. finally end up onto a gently floured floor and knead for 5 to ten minutes, including flour as necessary, until eventually dough is delicate and pliable, yet not sticky. (would elect as a lot as 5 cups flour.) position dough in a huge, gently pan-sprayed bowl, conceal, and allow upward push in a warmth position until eventually doubled, about a million hour. Preheat oven to 350 tiers F (one hundred seventy 5 tiers C) and spray a round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, toss dried fruit with confectioners' sugar. Punch down dough in bowl, move to floured floor, and knead interior the fruit. kind dough right into a ball, position in prepared cake pan, conceal loosely with dish towel, and allow upward push 0.5-hour. (Loaf will upward push above the pan aspects.) Brush with melted butter, if wanted. Bake for 40 5 minutes, or until eventually loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted interior the middle comes out sparkling. Makes 10 wedges. that is closest i will locate at present (i'm at artwork). i'm hoping this facilitates, or some different person has the single you're searching for! ;]

Answer 4

"This traditional Italian Christmas bread is suited for dessert, afternoon tea or breakfast. Enjoy!"

Original recipe yield:
1 loaf
PREP TIME 25 Min
COOK TIME 45 Min
READY IN 2 Hrs 40 Min
PHOTO BY: NILEXUK

USMETRIC

SERVINGS About scaling and conversions
INGREDIENTS

* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup dried currants
* 1/4 cup raisins
* 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms into a manageable ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary, until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. (May need up to 5 cups flour.) Place dough in a large, lightly pan-sprayed bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, toss dried fruit with confectioners' sugar. Punch down dough in bowl, transfer to floured surface, and knead in the fruit.
3. Form dough into a ball, place in prepared cake pan, cover loosely with dish towel, and let rise 30 minutes. (Loaf will rise above the pan sides.) Brush with melted butter, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 10 wedges.




Il Panettone Milanese -- Milanese Panettone

Milano's Panettone!From Cosa Bolle in Pentola, the Newsletter:
Never made a panettone and really want to try? Fernanda Gosetti does say how in Il Dolcissimo. "Before giving the recipe," she writes, "I'd like to give you some advice that's vital to the success of the panettone. As I've already said for other cakes, every chef follows a different recipe and swears by it. I've checked what I've collected with care, and the ingredients are the same; what changes are the proportions.

* "They all suggest working the dough, if possible, with mixer, because it's much easier and the dough reaches that just-ready state much faster. Just so you know, they say that the dough must be worked by hand for 50 minutes, or by machine for 20.
* "The dough has to be prepared well in advance, at least 6-7 hours, and because of this chefs usually combine the ingredients the night before, to have something workable in the morning.
* "The room where the panettone is made has to be warm, about 72 degrees F (22 C). The flour should also be warm, about 68 F (20 C); what's generally used is 00 grade (very fine all-purpose flour) and extremely dry (my note: you may want to dry your flour in an oven, as it absorbs moisture unless it's tightly sealed). The water used should be warm, about 76 F (24 C).
* "Don't forget a pinch of salt, because it stimulates rising; a little more salt will increase the rising while less will decrease it
* "If you want your panettone to stay soft longer, add a little glucose to the dough.
* "If you're in a hurry, don't replace wild yeast with baker's yeast because the latter isn't quite right.
* "The baking time will depend upon the size of the panettone. Assuming a temperature of 400 F (200 C), half an hour will be sufficient for small to medium-sized panettoni, whereas larger ones will require considerably more. As I've said before, home ovens are best suited to small-medium-sized cakes.
* "If you want the surface to be shiny, slip a bowl of water into the oven when the panettone is half cooked to raise the humidity.
* "You'll find, for sale, panettoni that are taller than they are broad. To obtain this effect at home, you'll have to put a ring of heavily buttered thick paper around the dough when you put it in the oven, or use a panettone mold. If you instead want a panettone that's wider than it is high, like a normal bread loaf, simply put it in the oven (my note: you'll need a pizza stone or similar to do this)
* "Everyone I've talked to says to tell you not to lose heart after the first, inevitable failures, because it's a difficult cake to make."

Having said all this, here we go.

For the first rising:
6 ounces (150 g) fresh yeast cake (or biga; ask your baker for this)
4 cups (400 g) flour
3/8 cup (90 g) unsalted butter
5/8 cup (110 g) sugar
6 yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (200 ml) slightly warm water
For the second rising:
2 3/4 cups (275 g) flour
5/8 cup (110 g) unsalted butter
1 pound (400 g) sultana raisins
13 ounces 9300 g) mixed candied orange and citrus peels
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 yolks
A little flour for dusting the work surface and mold

The afternoon before, begin by cutting the butter into a casserole and melting it over a very low flame or a double boiler; keep it warm enough to remain melted. Dissolve the sugar in about 3/8 cup (100 ml) of warm water.

Put the melted butter, salt, and yeast cake in a mixing bowl and mix well, then add the yolks and sugar, and sift in the flour, stirring energetically all the while. Should the dough be quite stiff add a little more water. Keep beating with great energy for about 25 minutes, throwing the dough against the sides of the bowl, until it has become smooth, velvety, and full of air bubbles. At this point put it in a lightly floured bowl large enough for it to triple in volume, cover it with a heavy cloth, and keep it in a warm (85 F, 30 C) place for about 10 hours.

In the meantime, wash the raisins, picking over them to remove sticks and whatnot, drain them well, and set them on a cloth to dry. Finely dice, but do not mince, the candied citrus peels.

When the dough is ready, turn it out on your work surface (or return it to the mixing bowl) and work in the flour, vanilla, and honey. Beet with considerable energy for about a half hour, then work in all but 2 tablespoons of the butter, which you will have melted as before, and the water, to which you will have added the salt. Continue working the dough until it becomes shiny and dry, and at this point add the fruit, working the dough to distribute it evenly. At this point you can divide the dough into pieces of the size you want; if you want to make your panettoni by weight, use a scale and figure that they'll decrease in weight by 10% during baking.

Lightly grease your hands with the butter and round the balls of dough, then put them on a board or plate and let them rise in a warm place for about a half hour. At this point lightly butter your hands again and put the panettoni in panettone molds (or put rings of stiff paler around their bases). Return them to their board and put them in a warm (68-80 F, 20-30 C, depending upon the season), humid spot to rise for about 6 hours.

Heat your oven to 380 F (190 C). Cut an x into the top of each panettone and put 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter over the cuts. Put the panettoni in the oven, and after 4 minutes remove them and quickly push down on the corners produced by the cuts. Return them to the oven and bake them until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out dry.

When chefs remove their panettoni from the oven they put them upside down in special panettone holders to keep their flanks from collapsing. In a home situation this is not practical, and you'll dimply have to cool your panettoni on a rack.

My Comment: It's easy to understand why Michele Franzan, who writes for Gola Gioconda, a Florentine food magazine, suggests that you buy your panettone from a first-rate baker. And a last note: Andrea writes, "I had been searching for a panettone that tasted like [my grandfather's] but never found one until I got a bread machine and a little book called "The Bread Machine Cookbook" by Donna German, put out by Nitty Gritty Books. The recipe for panettone tastes exactly like what my grandparents made. In addition to the traditional candied fruit and nuts and raisins it includes lemon rind. That must have been their secret ingredient. And it comes out perfect every time I make it." A little lemon rind will be a nice touch.