Panetonne

Milan, Italy, is a treasure chest of architectural jewels, from the sky-piercing Gothic Duomo di Milano Cathedral to the dazzling, light-filled arcades of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. In the Milanese bakeries, another great construction is prepared during the holiday season. Built with yeast, butter, and flour, and powered by a wood-fired oven, these edible masterpieces rise to remarkable heights before billowing into a majestic cupola. Behold the panettone, an enriched bread that borders on the richness of cake, pillowy-soft and destined for the decadent festivities that the yuletide season calls for. Indeed, what could be more celebratory than a bread that resembles a Champagne cork writ large?

There are as many tall tales about the origin of panettone as there are about Santa Claus. In one legend, a falconer-turned-baker created the recipe to woo his new bride and impress his father-in-law. In yet another, a nun called Sister Ughetta ( means “raisin” in Milanese dialect) invented panettone as a source of joy for her fellow sisters at their cloistered nunnery. In the most linguistically literal tale, a young apprentice named Toni served (Toni’s bread). No matter how panettone came about, it has remained an enduring symbol of the Italian yuletide season. Here, we open the gates to home bakers to recreate the fabulously rich bread in the domestic kitchen with a recipe that cuts down on time and energy but not flavor.