Star among the Christmas biscuits
Panettone – sweet Christmas cake. Panettone is a traditional Italian Christmas cake that originated in Milan. However, the exact origin of the cake is unclear and surrounded by legends. One of the best-known legends says that in the 15th century, the court cook Ludovico Il Moro prepared a cake made from yeast, raisins and candied fruit, which was so good that it was given the name “Pan de Toni”. The cake quickly became popular and has been an integral part of Italian Christmas traditions ever since.
Panettone baking course
The cake has a domed shape, contains candied fruit and raisins or even chocolate and is made from a long process of maturing dough. As panettone is made from a sourdough and the dough has to be stirred, kneaded and allowed to rise in several stages to make the final product, it takes several hours. It is therefore advisable to prepare certain ingredients the day before.
I opted for a baking course. If anything is unclear, you can ask immediately. Good baking advises are also given there. I even didn’t have to prepare a sourdough (Lievito Madre) as we were able to take a piece with us. I now look after it according to the course instructor’s instructions. That’s good, because now I can make sourdough bread too.
I can only recommend the baking course at the Mühlerama (Tiefenbrunnen Mill, see photos above) in Zurich with Grazia De Martino. Please note that the courses there are very popular, so register immediately.
I baked the panettone again at home. It works well with the recipe instructions. But the whole process is extremely time-consuming. Why not make panettone instead of Christmas cookies? Grazia has also included a quicker version with yeast dough with the recipe. I have also baked this one. The result will be tested with the family on Sunday. I can’t wait to see which version will win. Sourdough or yeast dough?
Sourdough vs. yeast dough
I actually thought the difference would be minimal. But it isn’t. The sourdough was the winner of the day. Both doughs were on a par in terms of taste, but the consistency should not be underestimated. The sourdough was moister and somehow also lighter.
Despite all my love for cooking and baking, I would buy panettone again in the future. The effort involved in making it myself is simply too much for me. However, if you want to know what goes into it, a baking course is highly recommended.
The OllO World team wishes you a great day.
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