Panettone

Ingredients

Sponge

• 1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Dough

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup warm whole milk (110 to 115 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface

Fruit

• 2/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup candied citrus peel (lemon or orange, or a combination of both)
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest (1 orange)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
• Optional Vanilla Glaze and Cake Sprinkles
• (Makes about 1/2 cup Vanilla Glaze)
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon butter

Directions

Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; stir together until mixed.
2. Add eggs and egg yolks; beat until thoroughly mixed.
3. Add sponge mixture, warm milk, and vanilla; stir until well mixed.
4. Add 2 cups flour; stir until well mixed. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board; knead dough until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes, adding additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky.
6. Place dough in a well greased bowl; turn dough over once to grease the top.
7. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let dough rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.

Fruit

1. While dough is rising, prepare fruit.
2. Plump the raisins by steaming with a double boiler; steam the raisins about 1 minute or until softened. Thoroughly drain, or spread the raisins on paper toweling to dry.
3. In a small bowl, combine the drained raisins, citrus peel, orange zest and lemon zest. Set aside.
4. Prepare one 8 cup Panettone mold. Lightly grease the mold with shortening. If using a paper Panettone mold, place the mold on a baking sheet.
5. Punch risen dough down then turn onto a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board.
6. Add fruit and knead the fruit into the dough, knead only until the dough accepts the fruit and appears to be evenly distributed throughout the dough.
7. Form the dough into a ball and place in the prepared Panettone mold. Cover and let dough rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours. Let the dough rise a little higher than the mold to get a nice rounded top shape.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Bake: Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 30 minutes or until bread is a golden brown and a long toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Place pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
9. Vanilla Glaze *Optional
10. In a small pot, melt the butter and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until creamy and drizzle onto the Panettone. Put colorful cake sprinkles if desired.