Pannetone is traditional Italian
Christmas cake from Milan and it is very time consuming and hard to
make.
The key to Pannetone cake is to make sure it looks like a chef's hat.
Because
cake must be very tall, it should be baked in a buttered and floured
mold
at least 7 inches tall and 8 inches wide.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package active
dry
yeast, fast-rising (or 1-1/2 Tbsp)
1/2 cup warm water (110
to 115°F).
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3-1/2 to 4 cups all
purpose
flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. grated orange
peel
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk, warm
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2/3 cup golden raisins
2 cups chopped mixed
dried fruits (dried apricots, cherries, pineapple etc.)
2/3 cup almonds, slivered
1/2 cup brandy, grappa
or rum
PREPARATION:
Soak mixed dried fruit
and golden raisins in brandy or grappa for couple hours or
overnight.
Line bottom
of a mold
with a round peace of wax paper, cut to fit, than grease paper. Butter
sides of the mold and sprinkle with flour.
In a medium
size bowl
sift together flour and salt. Set aside.
In a small
bowl, dissolve
1 Tbsp. of sugar in 1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115°F). Sprinkle
yeast
over and let stand on warm place until yeast is foamy, about 5-7
minutes.
In a large
bowl beat eggs
and sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Beat in
softened
butter, warm milk, extracts, citrus peels and juices.
Gradually
add the flour
and foamed yeast to the egg mixture and mix fast with electric mixer
for
about five minutes until the very soft dough is formed. Add soaked
dried
fruit and raisins, more flour and continue beating with electric mixer
until thoroughly combined, soft doug is made (about additional 5
minutes).
Spray waxed paper with some cooking spray and cover the dough. Put warm
kitchen towel on the top and let rise in warm draft-free area until is
more than double in volume. That may take 1 hour or more, depends on
yeast,
temperature of your ingredients and temperature and moisture of the
area.
When dough
is ready, punch
it down, then turn onto lightly floured surface, knead for 5 to 10
minutes,
or until the dough is smooth; add additional flour as necessary. Place
the dough in the prepared mold, cover with a clean cloth, and let rise
second time (usually about 25 to 35 minutes).
Preheat oven
to 400°
F.
With a
kitchen scissors
or a sharp knife, cut an X in the top of the bread and put 1 Tbsp. of
butter
on the top. Bake for about 5 minutes on the high temperature than
reduce
the heat to 325° F and bake in middle of center oven rack for 35 to
40 more minutes or until bake until top is browned and cake begins to
pull
away from mold. If the top of the bread begins to brown too much, cover
the bread loosely with foil.
Cake is
baked when a metal
baking skewer comes out clean. Cool Pannetone in mold for about 15
minutes,
then unmold onto wire rack to finish cooling.
To serve,
dust with mix
of powered sugar and vanilla sugar, and cut into slices or wedges.
TIP: If
you don't have mold for this type of cake you could use coffee can or
clay
flower pot. Clay flower pot should be completely soaked in cold water
for
about 1 hour before baking.
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