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several slices of panettone with candied fruits over a table
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5 from 2 votes

Panettone Recipe (Bauducco Copycat)

Best panettone recipe for a buttery and mildly sweet Italian bread that is moist and soft inside. Using the same dough, we made it in two flavors: candied fruits and also chocolate chip. They will be the star of your Christmas table (and Easter too)!
YIELD: 2 panettones
Course:Dessert
Cuisine:Italian
Keywords:candied fruits, chocolate, Italian Christmas bread, panettone
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling time 8 hours
Total Time 11 hours
Servings 16 people
Calories450 kcal
Cost $ 1.00 per person

Equipment

  • Panettone pan or (Panettone paper molds in similar size)
  • large and small bowls
  • brush
  • Stand mixer
  • small saucepan
  • Rolling pin

Ingredients

  • cup lukewarm water (85° F/29° C to 90° F/ 32° C) or 160 g (IN GRAMS, NOT ML)
  • 4 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 6 to 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided 750 to 812 g
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
  • 4 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 6 large eggs 300 g, at room temperature and divided
  • cup lukewarm whole milk or 160 g (Weight, not volume) (TEMP: 85° F/29 C to 90° F/ 32° C)
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract 16 g
  • 3 teaspoons tightly packed orange zest
  • cups unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature 152 g
  • 4.5 oz Candied Fruit Mix drained (or 130 g. It comes already chopped and if you don’t drain excess moisture it will change the texture of the panettone)
  • 4 oz raisins or 100 g. The candied fruits and raisins are for the candied fruit panettone only. Mix them together before adding to the dough
  • 7 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips if desired) or 200 g. These are for the chocolate chip panettone only
  • 4 teaspoons Swedish pearl sugar OPTIONAL

Instructions

  • Impastare (Yeast mixing): In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together ⅔ cup (160 g) lukewarm water with the yeast until dissolved. Add 2 cups (150 g) flour.
  • Using the paddle attachment, beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms. NOTE: If the flour is not fully incorporated, knead dough in a bowl by hand until fully combined.
  • Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place (75° F/ 24° C) until doubled in size (about 15-20 minutes). NOTE: If you are in a  cold place, place the bowl, covered, inside of the oven or microwave.
  • Then add 4 cups (500 g) flour, granulated sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture. Add 4 eggs (200 g), lukewarm milk, vanilla, and orange zest. Beat everything at low speed until a shaggy dough forms, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
  • Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat the dough at low speed until it is tacky, soft, smooth, and elastic (about 6 to 8 minutes). Add up to the remaining ½ cup (62 g) flour, 2 tablespoons (28 g) at a time, beating after each addition until combined (3-4 minutes total).
  • Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until combined after each addition (3-4 minutes). Make sure to beat until a soft, smooth, and elastic dough forms (5-7 minutes). Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape it into a smooth round.
  • Fermentazione (Fermentation): Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning to grease top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Then remove the bowl from the fridge and let the dough rest at room temp for about 30 minutes for easy folding.
  • Piegare (Folding): On a well-floured surface, divide the dough in half. Roll each ball of dough into a ½-inch-thick oval (about 12 x 10 inches).
  • Sprinkle one of the doughs with half of the drained candied fruits and raisin mixture. Use the palm of your hand instead of the rolling pin to gently press the fruit into the dough. Fold dough in half lengthwise. NOTE: Make sure to wipe off any excess liquid from the fruit. Roll dough into a ½-inch-thick oval. Sprinkle with the remaining fruit mixture. Press fruit into dough, then fold the dough in half crosswise. Re-roll into a ½-inch-thick oval.
  • Pirlatura (Dough rounding): Fold the dough, shape it into a ball, and place the seam side down, in a 5.9-inch-wide x 3.9-inch-high panettone paper mold (or one with similar measurements). Place the panettone mold on a double rimmed baking sheet. NOTE: If you use only one baking sheet instead of two, there is more probability of the bottom of the paper mold burning a little.
  • Do the same with the other dough but use the chocolate chips instead. TIP: Make sure to place the 2 paper molds apart from each other (opposite side of the baking sheet to have room to rise).
  • Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75° F/ 24°C) until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours, or until it reaches the rim of the paper mold.
  • Position the oven wire rack in the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
  • In a small bowl, lightly whisk the remaining 2 eggs (100 g). Brush the top of the 2 bread loaves with egg; sprinkle with pearl sugar.
  • Scarpatura (Scoring): Using a sharp paring knife, score the top of each loaf with an “X” and place a pat of butter onto the “X”.
  • Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until it is just starting to brown. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350° F (180° C) and bake for 40-50 minutes or until deep golden brown (and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190° F or 88° C). Make sure to cover each loaf with aluminum foil after 10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.
  • As soon as you remove the 2 panettones from the oven, insert 2 or more (as many as needed to hold the base) long wood skewer through the base of each panettone (going from one side through to the other) and hang each panettone upside down. Let them cool completely.
  • NOTE: You can use the clean bowl of your stand mixer as the base to hang the panettone. Some people use the back of two chairs placed just a little apart as the base to hang the ends of the skewer. IMPORTANT: They have to cool upside down; otherwise their tops will deflate and the dough (interior) will be mushy and heavy. Do NOT let the top of the panettone hang upside down touching a surface; otherwise, it will deflate.
  • Once they cool, remove the skewers carefully and enjoy a slice.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

This panettone recipe is adapted from Bauducco, a famous Brazilian brand.
Unlike Bauducco's, our Italian sweet bread recipe has vanilla extract instead of barley malt extract, a different blend of candied fruits (Bauducco uses orange, papaya, and citron), and is topped with sugar pearls. 
But the texture and taste are quite similar! 
Storage
To prevent it from drying out, keep it at room temperature for up to 1 week, wrapped in plastic wrap.
Can panettone be frozen?
Yes, freeze it well wrapped, whole, or sliced, for up to 1 month.
If sliced, wrap each individually and then store them in an airtight container or sealable bag.
Thaw homemade panettone overnight in the fridge and reheat until warm in the oven. Serve right away!

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 708mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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