It's that time of year again! The only time of year that I buy a panettone. I know the supermarkets already do a pretty good job of these Italian fruit bread things, but this year I thought I'd give it a go for myself. It is quite involved, but worth it! The dough needs to chill over night, as well as prove for 2-3 hours the next day. The recipe also asks for 5 eggs! I found the dough didn't quite rise enough, so it may seem a little stunted.
The panettone also has a nice little story behind it. This particular fruit bread was created by a Milanese baker, trying to tempt and win the heart of a woman who often walked past his bakery. So there you have it! That is how the panettone, or pan de toni (or less romantically, Tony's bread), came into being.
It's probably best eaten within the first couple of days - unless you have a panettone-sized storage tin lurking in your cupboard to make it last a bit longer. And of course it's a Paul Hollywood recipe - thought it would be a good one, seeing as he is a bit of bread expert.
Merry Christmas one and all. Have a slice of Tony's bread on me :D
