Recipe: the real Italian PANETTONE

Feeding the Family

Recipes

Published on Wednesday, 20 November 2013 09:00

Last Updated on 01 January 2018

Monica Costa

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This Recipe: the real Italian PANETTONE is mouth-watering…. any time of the year. A home-made Panettone is not just for Christmas.

 

 

 

SERVES 8

 

 

Catherine Fulvio: “I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING TAUGHT HOW TO MAKE PANETTONE FROM THE FIASCONARO BROTHERS, MASTER BAKERS IN THE TOWN OF CASTELBUONO, SICILY. THEIR CAKES HAVE TRULY GONE INTO ORBIT, AS THEY HAVE SUPPLIED TO NASA IN THE PAST. THIS IS MY SIMPLER VERSION OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CAKE.”

150ml milk, warmed

2 tsp dried yeast

100g golden caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

175g butter, melted

3 tbsp Marsala

1 tsp vanilla extract

500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 tsp salt

150g raisins

4 tbsp orange juice or brandy

75g candied peel

To glaze:

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp flaked almonds

1 Place the milk and yeast in a small bowl and whisk together.

2 Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a bowl until well incorporated and light, then add in the melted butter, Marsala and vanilla.

3 Place the flour and salt into a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add in the yeast and milk mixture along with the egg mixture and knead for 5 minutes on a low speed. Cover and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place until it doubles in size, which will take about 2 hours.

4 Meanwhile, soak the raisins in the orange juice or brandy in a small bowl.

5 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm deep cake tin. Make a 10cm collar with double thickness parchment paper and line the sides of the tin.

6 Tip the dough out on a floured surface, mix in the raisins and candied peel and lightly knead for 3–4 minutes. The dough should be soft, so oil your hands well to handle it. Roll the dough into a ball and place it into the tin. Leave it to rise for 30 minutes.

7 Brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the almonds. Bake for about 55 minutes, or until well risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack.

KEEPING IT LOCAL: AN IRISH BARM BRACK MADE WITH YEAST IS NOT UNLIKE A PANETTONE, THOUGH THERE IS MORE BUTTER AND SOMETIMES QUITE A BIT OF ALCOHOL IN PANETTONE. BUT BOTH SHOULD BE LIGHT AS COTTON WOOL WHEN MADE PROPERLY.

This recipe was kindly donated by Catherine Fulvio, author of Eat Like an Italian Cookery book

TV chef and award-winning author and proprietor of Ballyknocken House and Cookery School, Catherine Fulvio, shows how to embrace ‘la dolce vita’ in no time, even in rainy UK! Catherine herself has embraced some Italian mantra’s:

Stay slim like an Italian: ‘Stop when you are full’ is a well-known Italian mantra and key to their status as one of the slimmest nations in Europe. Carbs, cheese and glugs of olive oil are all relished– but in moderation!

Work like an Italian: Drop everything for an impromptu trip to the local café with colleagues and never discuss work over lunch!

Shop like an Italian: Italians often shop twice a day for fresh, local produce for lunch and dinner, and use the opportunity to socialise with their neighbours.

Exercise like an Italian: Incorporate your daily exercise into mealtimes. The tradition is to put on your Sunday best and ‘promenade’ around town after a seven-course Sunday lunch.

Catherine is also cookery tutor and proprietor of Ballyknocken House & Cookery School in County Wicklow in Ireland and is married to an Italian!. Eat Like An Italian was published on 23 October 2012 in the UK, RRP £19.99 and includes amazing illustrations of well prepared authentic Italian food.