Cooking Recipe Panettone (Ecco Il Pane)
Recipe Ingredients
SPONGE/DOUGH #1
DOUGH #2
DOUGH #3
FILLING
Directions
Sponge/Dough #1: In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm
water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, and
stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and
let rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
Dough #2 (When dough #1 has risen): In a large bowl, dissolve yeast
in warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add dough
#1 (it will have a very loose consistency) to the yeast mix and stir
well. Add the eggs, flour, sugar and stir until well mixed. Cover the
dough with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in vloume, about 1
hour.
Dough #3 (When dough #2 has finished rising): In a large bowl, combine
eggs, yolks, sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Add dough #2,
it will have a very loose consistency, and mix well. Add the softened
butter, mix well.
Add the 3 cups flour (1 cup at a time) and coninue stirring until the
dough has a soft texture, like soft cookie dough. Turn out on a well
floured surface and knead gently, adding the last 3/4 cup flour as
needed. Knead until the dough is soft and smooth and holds it's
shape. Be careful not to create lumps.
Lightly butter a very large bowl, enough to allow the dough to triple
in volume. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the
butter, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until tripled, about 3
hours.
Filling: (can be mixed while waiting for dough to rise): Mix raisins,
currants and dried cranberries in a small bowl. Cover with warm water
and allow to soften for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Mix in the
finely chopped peel and lemon zest. Set aside.
When the dough has triple in volume, turn out on a lightly floured
surface and pat down into an oval or rectangle about 1/2" thick.
Sprinkle half the filling mix over the dough, and roll up jellyroll
fashion along the long edge. Again pat down into an oval shape about
1/2" thick and sprinkle the remaining filing mix over the dough. Roll
up jellyrool fashion along the long edge.
Divide the dough into 3 pieces; two pieces should be about 1/3 larger
than the third piece. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 300g coffee
cans and one 398ml can. Line the bottoms and sides with waxed paper.
Gently roll the dough into balls and place the two larger pieces into
the two larger cans and the small piece into the small can. Cover
with plastic wrap and allow to double in volume, about 2 hours. Once
the dough has risen, cut a small 'X' in the top of each loaf and bake
in a preheated 400 F (200 C) oven for 10 minutes. Reduce temp. to 375
F (190 C) for another 10 minutes. Again reduce the oven to 350 F (180
C) and bake for 15 minutes loger for the small can and 30 minutes for
the large cans; or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when
inserted into the bread.
Cool the breads in their cans on a rack for 30 minutes. Carefully
unmold the breads and lay on their sides, on a rack, until cooled.
Best eaten within 48 hours.
NOTES: I baked this recipe in 5 1/2 " high clay flour pots lined with
foil. The recipe filled two pots. I baked at 400 F for 15 mins. then
turned the oven down to 325 F for about 50 mins. The bread was done
when a skewer came out clean. Make sure the butter is well softened
or it will be almost impossible to mix in well.
From: Western Living magazine, December 1995.