Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Golden raisins 180 g (1 1/4 cups); candied orange peel 120 g (1 cup); optional candied citron 40 g (1/3 cup)
- Dark rum or orange juice 45 g (3 tbsp) + hot water 60 g (1/4 cup)
- Instant yeast 1/4 tsp; bread flour 120 g (1 cup); warm water 120 g (1/2 cup) — for sponge
- Bread flour 380 g (3 1/4 cups); sugar 120 g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp); salt 9 g (1 1/2 tsp)
- Whole milk 80 g (1/3 cup); eggs 3 large + 3 yolks; honey 30 g (1 1/2 tbsp); vanilla 2 tsp
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- Unsalted butter 140 g (10 tbsp), very soft; plus 1 tbsp for topping
- Mascarpone 225 g (8 oz); honey 1 tbsp; pinch of salt — for serving
- 1 kg paper panettone mold (7 in x 4 1/4 in) and 2 long skewers
Do This
- 1. Soak raisins and candied citrus in rum and hot water 1–12 hours; drain and pat dry.
- 2. Night before: whisk 120 g flour, 120 g warm water, and 1/4 tsp yeast; cover and ferment 8–12 hours.
- 3. Mix sponge with remaining flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, yolks, honey, vanilla, and citrus zest; rest 20 minutes, then mix until smooth.
- 4. Beat in 140 g soft butter a tablespoon at a time; knead to a strong windowpane (12–18 minutes total).
- 5. Fold in fruit; bulk rise 1 1/2–2 hours until puffed; chill 30 minutes.
- 6. Shape, place in mold, proof 3–5 hours; score a cross, add 1 tbsp butter; bake at 350°F (175°C) 45–55 minutes to 190–195°F inside. Skewer and hang upside down 6–8 hours. Slice thick, toast lightly, and serve with honeyed mascarpone.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic tall, domed Italian holiday bread with a soft, saffron-gold crumb and rich buttery flavor.
- Studded with plump raisins and fragrant candied citrus for bites of brightness in every slice.
- Overnight sponge for bakery-level flavor with very little hands-on time.
- Serving suggestion included: thick slices toasted and finished with a cool, creamy mascarpone smear.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 orange, 1 lemon
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, whole milk, eggs, mascarpone
- Pantry: Bread flour, sugar, honey, instant yeast, salt, vanilla extract, golden raisins, candied orange peel, optional candied citron, dark rum or orange juice
Full Ingredients
Fruit Soak
- Golden raisins: 180 g (1 1/4 cups)
- Candied orange peel, diced: 120 g (1 cup)
- Optional candied citron, diced: 40 g (1/3 cup)
- Dark rum or orange juice: 45 g (3 tbsp)
- Hot water: 60 g (1/4 cup)
Overnight Sponge (Biga/Poolish)
- Bread flour: 120 g (1 cup)
- Warm water (95°F/35°C): 120 g (1/2 cup)
- Instant yeast: 1/4 tsp (about 1 g)
Dough & Flavorings
- Bread flour: 380 g (about 3 1/4 cups)
- Granulated sugar: 120 g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp)
- Kosher salt: 9 g (1 1/2 tsp)
- Whole milk, room temp: 80 g (1/3 cup)
- Large eggs: 3 (about 150 g, room temp)
- Egg yolks: 3 (about 54 g, room temp)
- Honey: 30 g (1 1/2 tbsp)
- Pure vanilla extract: 2 tsp
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- Unsalted butter, very soft: 140 g (10 tbsp)
- Optional: saffron threads 1/4 tsp, steeped 10 minutes in the warm milk
For the Pan & Top
- Unsalted butter for top: 1 tbsp
- 1 kg paper panettone mold (7 in x 4 1/4 in)
- 2 long metal skewers or sturdy bamboo skewers for hanging
Mascarpone Spread (for Serving)
- Mascarpone: 225 g (8 oz)
- Honey: 1 tbsp
- Pinch of fine salt
- Optional: a little extra orange zest to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Soak the fruit and prep the mold
Combine raisins, candied orange (and citron, if using) with the rum and hot water. Stir, cover, and soak at least 1 hour (or up to 12 hours at room temperature). Drain very well and pat dry with paper towels. Toss the fruit with 1 tbsp of the total flour (taken from the 380 g) to help it stay suspended in the dough. Set aside. Place a 1 kg paper panettone mold on a sheet pan.
Step 2: Make the overnight sponge
In a medium bowl, whisk 120 g bread flour, 120 g warm water, and 1/4 tsp instant yeast until smooth. Cover and let ferment 8–12 hours at cool room temperature. It should be bubbly, doubled, and smell pleasantly sweet.
Step 3: Mix the enriched dough base
In the bowl of a stand mixer (dough hook), combine the sponge, 380 g bread flour, sugar, and salt. Add milk (with saffron if using), eggs, yolks, honey, vanilla, and the orange and lemon zest. Mix on low until a shaggy dough forms, 2–3 minutes. Cover and rest (autolyse) 20 minutes.
Step 4: Develop gluten and add butter
Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 6–8 minutes. With the mixer running, add the very soft butter a tablespoon at a time, waiting for each addition to incorporate before adding the next. Continue mixing 6–10 minutes more, until the dough is glossy, very stretchy, and passes a strong windowpane test. Target dough temperature is 75–78°F (24–26°C). If mixing by hand, use slap-and-folds; expect 15–20 minutes total.
Step 5: Fold in the fruit
Lightly oil your hands and a work surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle, scatter the floured fruit evenly over it, and perform a letter fold. Gently knead just until the fruit is evenly distributed without tearing the dough. Form a ball and rest 10 minutes.
Step 6: First rise (bulk)
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and rise in a warm spot (78–80°F / 25–27°C) until puffed by about 60–70%, 1 1/2–2 hours. Chill the dough 30–45 minutes to firm slightly for easier shaping.
Step 7: Shape, mold, and proof
On a lightly oiled surface, shape the dough into a tight, smooth ball by cupping and rotating. Place seam side down into the paper mold. Cover loosely and proof at 78–80°F until the dome rises to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the rim, 3–5 hours. When ready to bake, use a sharp oiled blade to score a shallow cross on top and nestle 1 tbsp soft butter at the center.
Step 8: Bake, hang to cool, and serve
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third. Bake 45–55 minutes until deep golden; tent loosely with foil after 20–25 minutes if browning quickly. The internal temperature should read 190–195°F (88–90°C). Immediately insert two long skewers through the lower third of the loaf (through paper and crumb), invert, and hang between two sturdy supports so the panettone cools upside down 6–8 hours. For serving, stir mascarpone with honey and a pinch of salt. Cut thick 1-inch slices, lightly toast (1–2 minutes per side in a dry skillet or toaster), and smear with the honeyed mascarpone. Bliss.
Pro Tips
- Weigh ingredients for best results—panettone is a precision bake.
- Do not rush gluten development; aim for a strong windowpane before adding fruit.
- Keep dough cool but pliable. If it gets greasy or slack, chill 10 minutes and continue.
- Tent with foil to prevent over-browning; rely on internal temperature to confirm doneness.
- Hanging upside down is essential to preserve the tall, airy crumb and prevent collapse.
Variations
- Chocolate–Hazelnut: Replace raisins with 180 g chopped dark chocolate and add 80 g toasted chopped hazelnuts; keep candied orange at 80 g. Toss mix-ins with 1 tbsp flour before folding in.
- Cranberry–Orange: Swap raisins for 180 g dried cranberries; soak in orange juice. Add 1 extra tsp orange zest.
- No-Alcohol Fruit: Soak fruit in hot black tea or orange juice in place of rum.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Once fully cooled, keep panettone in its paper, wrapped airtight, at room temperature up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap well and freeze up to 2 months; thaw, then refresh slices at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes. The fruit can be soaked up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. The baked loaf tastes best the day after baking. Mascarpone spread keeps 3 days refrigerated; stir before using.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for 1/12 loaf with 1 tbsp mascarpone: 460 calories; 17 g fat; 62 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 300 mg sodium. Values will vary with exact slice size and mix-ins.
