No Store-Bought Panettone is as Good as My Sicilian Grandma's 50+ Year-Old Recipe

My gandma's panettone

It's officially the holiday season, that period of time from Thanksgiving till the New Year where you find yourself eating all the wonderful things you only have once a year.

Growing up in an Italian household in inner-city Philadelphia, one of these annual holiday treats was my Sicilian grandma's panettone. The traditional Italian sweet bread typically came studded with candied citron, and bourbon- or rum-soaked raisins, depending on who made it.

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My grandma was a whiz in the kitchen and the delicious sweet brioche-like bread was her specialty. One of my fondest childhood memories is waking up to the sweet smell of this part cake, part bread cooling on the kitchen counter. The bread was always presented whole, sometimes still in its mold - and it wasn't until the entire family was seated around the table that it would be cut into large wedges and served with lots of European butter.

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Since my grandmother's passing I have not been able to find a store-bought version that lived up to hers—and I've tried several. Instead, I've taken over the tradition of baking the holiday panettone for my family, tweaking my grandma's original panettone recipe ever so slightly.

One change I made was to use citrus zest instead of the more traditional candied citron. I do this for two reasons: Citron can often be hard to find and I think the zest has a lovelier citrus flavor. The other change I made was to add golden raisins along with the more traditional black raisins. Golden raisins provide an extra layer of sweetness that I love. Otherwise, the recipe is the same one my grandma always made us.

This 50-plus-year-old recipe is the main reason that I don't purchase store-bought panettone today. Although making panettone is time-consuming, it’s not complicated at all and you'll quickly realize the effort is well worth it when you see the smile on your loved ones' faces.

Related: Feast of the Seven Fishes: The Meaning of the Tradition

Ingredients For My Grandma's Panettone

The ingredients are pretty basic. You'll need raisins, butter, eggs, flour, yeast, vanilla, an orange and a lemon, sugar and brandy.

How to Make My Grandma's Panettone

Although this recipe isn't difficult, you do need to build in some time to make it. You start by making a sponge, which is just a mixture of yeast, warm water and flour. You'll cover that mixture and let it rest at least six hours or overnight. Starting the bread with a sponge will deepen the flavor and help create the light, moist texture you want in a panettone.

After you get the sponge started, you'll mix the raisins with the brandy and let that marinate at least four hours or overnight. The booze will soak into the dried fruit, making it extra moist and delicious.

When the sponge is ready, you can continue making the bread. You'll mix butter, eggs (and egg yolks), sugar, water and vanilla, then add the liquid from the raisin bowl. Next you'll add the sponge and some more flour and mix the dough with your hands. At this point you cover the dough and let it rise for six hours. (See what I said about planning ahead?)

After the first rise, you'll punch down the dough, add the raisins and citrus zest, knead the dough again, put it in the tall panettone mold (metal or paper works) and let it rise for 35 minutes.

Now it's time to bake! After the second rise is done, you cut an X in the top of the bread and bake it until it's puffed and golden brown. Let it cool at least 30 minutes, then bring it to the table for all the ohhs and ahhs.

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My Grandma's Panettone

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm water (110°F to 115°F)

• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1/3 cup regular raisins

• 1/4 cup brandy

• 5 tablespoons butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 4 large egg yolks

• 3/4 cup sugar

• ? cup warm water (110o to 115oF)

• 4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon vanilla

• Grated zest of 1 medium orange + 1 medium lemon

• 1 paper panettone mold

To make the sponge, in a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the flour and stir with a spoon or your fingers to make a loose, almost liquid, dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and brandy, and let marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, eggs, yolks, sugar, warm water and vanilla together until combined. Drain the marinated raisins in a small strainer set over a bowl and press on the raisins with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Set the raisins aside and add the liquid to the egg mixture.

Add the sponge and mix well with your hands. Add the flour a little at a time, mixing with your hands until a ball of dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed. Butter a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 6 hours in a warm place.

Butter and flour a panettone mold at least 6? inches tall and 7 to 8 inches wide. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Flatten the dough out with your hands and sprinkle on the zest.

In a small bowl, mix the raisins with 1 tablespoon flour until coated, and sprinkle the mixture over the dough. Fold the dough in half, press the edges together, and knead to distribute the fruits. Continue to knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth, adding additional flour if necessary. Place the dough in the mold, cover with a clean cloth, and let rise for 35 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 400oF. Cut an X in the top of the bread. Bake for 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 375oF, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350oF, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, rotating half way.

If the top begins to brown too much, cover the bread loosely with a piece of foil. Cool the bread on a rack for about 30 minutes before serving.