Sourdough Panettone

two slices cut out of one loaf of sourdough pannetone with a white and blue striped tea towel

4.49 from 52 votes

A classic Italian dessert, this Sourdough Panettone is not just for Christmas. Add this to your Easter dinner table or for any gathering to impress your guests with this sweet, airy bread.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Additional Time16

Total Time18

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: sourdough, sourdough panettone

Servings:

Author: Lisa Bass

Ingredients

1 cup dried fruit I used currants, raisins, cranberries, and dried cherries
1/4 cup light rum or fruit juice
1/4 cup hot water or a ½ cup of water
4 cups bread flour
4 large eggs
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup bubbly and active starter
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
13 tablespoons butter divided (room temp and cut into 1 tbsp sections)
1/4 cup candied orange peel diced

Instructions

Soak dried fruit in 1/4 cup rum and 1/4 cup hot water at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the raisins are plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 8 hours or overnight.
Add the flour, eggs, water, starter, sugar, salt, vanilla and 12 tbsp butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
Knead until smooth and elastic
Rise until doubled 6-8 hours (maybe more) or up to two days in the fridge
Turn the dough onto a floured workspace and roll it into a 12 by 15 rectangle.
Spread the drained fruit and candied orange peel evenly over the top. Gently press the fruit into the dough.
Shape the panettone by folding two ends of the rectangle to the middle. Repeat for the other ends.
Pull each side into the middle to form a ball. Gently add tension to the ball by maneuvering it against the counter in a few circular motions.
Add the shaped dough to a panettone mold and allow it to rise until just above the mold.
Score a shallow X across the top and add one tablespoon of butter.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 350, or until cooked through and golden on top

Notes

Just like with the brioche, challah and Babka recipes, this dough will take a very long time in a stand mixer to come together. I do 15-20 minutes on the third speed on my stand mixer with the dough hook. You’ll know it’s done when the very wet dough finally pulls away from the sides of the bowl and collects around the kneading hook.
The dough will also be very sticky when you first start kneading, but once the gluten is fully developed it will be smooth, elastic, stretchy and way less sticky.
On the second rise in the mold, I put mine into a large stock pot with a lid, so it doesn’t dry out. You could also drape plastic wrap or foil over the top.

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