Panettone (Christmas — Traditional Method)

Panettone — the tall, domed, enriched bread-cake of Milan — is the most technically demanding yeasted preparation in Italian baking, and its seasonal centrality to Christmas in Italy and across the Italian diaspora is absolute. A true panettone takes three days: the first to build the lievito madre (natural sourdough starter) to the required activity level; the second for the first dough (including the butter and sugar in precise addition stages to develop the gluten without killing the yeast) and the second dough (with the fruit, vanilla, and final enrichments); the third for the final proof and baking. The dough is enriched with enough egg and butter that it would kill most yeasts — the lievito madre's strength and specific microbial composition is what allows it to raise this heavily loaded dough. The characteristic open, feathery crumb with its honeycomb structure and the fruit suspended throughout (not sunk to the bottom, which indicates under-developed gluten) are the hallmarks of the authentic article.