Panettone

Method

1. Stir the vanilla bean paste into the beaten eggs and yolks. In a large bowl, beat the butter and all but 1 tsp of the sugar with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until light, thickened and creamy. Gradually add the beaten egg mixture, whisking continuously. (If the mix begins to curdle, add 1 tbsp of the strong bread flour.) Whisk in the zest of the orange and lemon.
2. Warm the milk in a pan until tepid, then transfer to a small bowl. Crumble over the yeast, then add the 1 tsp reserved sugar. Stir until the yeast has dissolved, then set aside for a few minutes until the yeast activates and froths the milk.
3. Sift the flour, sea salt and nutmeg into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the milky yeast and quickly mix through the flour. Add the whisked butter and eggs, folding in with a large spatula to make a soft, sticky dough.
4. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes until silky and smooth. The dough will initially be very sticky but, fear not, worked with floured hands and on a floured surface, it will eventually come together. Form into a ball, then place in a lightly floured bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place (an airing cupboard is ideal) for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
5. Meanwhile, put the raisins and sultanas in a small pan with the rum, bring to a simmer, stir well, then remove from the heat and leave to plump up as they cool.
6. When the dough has risen, tip onto a floured surface. Knead for a minute or so, then begin to knead in the raisins, sultanas and candied peel until evenly distributed. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a 20cm loose-bottomed round cake tin or a ready-made panettone mould (see tips). Cover loosely with cling film. Leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place until the dough has tripled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.
7. When risen, brush the top of the panettone with egg white and sprinkle with the pearl sugar, if using. Wrap a double layer of baking paper around the outside of the cake tin or panettone mould, high enough so it extends 10cm above the sides of the tin or mould. Secure with string.
8. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and bake for 30-35 minutes more. It’s ready when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. (You may need to cover the top with foil after 20 minutes’ cooking to prevent it browning too much.)
9. If your panettone is in a tin, cool for 5 minutes before turning out, then leave on a wire rack to cool. Otherwise, cool completely in the mould on a wire rack. Dredge with icing sugar if you didn’t use pearl sugar. Slice and serve with a cup of espresso or a chilled glass of Vin Santo.

For more helpful tips, check out our how to make panettone guide.