Panettone

Before starting this Panettone recipe, organise the following ingredients: currants, 10 grams of dry yeast, 1 teaspoon of castor sugar, warm milk, 100 grams from blend of both types of flour.

Place the currants in a bowl and water to rehydrate them. Set aside.

Place the dry yeast in a separate recipient.

Add the warm milk...

... and the castor sugar. Combine well with a whisk until the ingredients are completely incorporated.

Place the flour mix in a mixing bowl.

Add the milk, yeast and sugar mix.

Combine well with a spatula. When the dough starts to firm up...

... finish kneading with your hands on your workbench.

The dough should be smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer into a bowl and cover with cling film.

Leave to rise for about one hour...

... in a proofing chamber...

... set on 30°C. The dough shouldn't rise very much.

In the meantime, prepare the following ingredients: 2 whole eggs, 2 grams of dry yeast, 180 grams from blend of both types of flour.

When the dough has risen a little, transfer into the stand mixer recipient.

Add the whole eggs...

... dry yeast...

... and the flour.

Knead at low speed with the flat beater.

Add the castor sugar...

... and the softened butter.

Knead until homogeneous.

Scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl and cover with cling film.

Place the bowl in the proofing chamber...

... and set the temperature to 30°C. Leave to rise for 2 hours. The dough should double in volume.

In the meantime, prepare the following ingredients: 2 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks and 220 grams from blend of both types of flour.

Two hours later, the dough should have doubled in volume.

Add the whole eggs and egg yolks.

Combine well.

Add the flour...

... and knead with the hook for 10 minutes. The consistency should become elastic.

Add the castor sugar and salt and knead until incorporated.

Add the soft butter in two batches.

Knead at maximum speed.

When the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl...

... add the lemon zest (use the Microplane Classic grater).

Combine again.

Add the candied orange cubes...

... candied citron cubes...

... and the strained currants.

Knead until the fruits are incorporated.

The dough should hold together at this stage.

Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 2 hours in the proofing chamber set on 30°C.

After 2 hours, the dough should have risen significantly.

Knock the dough back and transfer onto a floured kitchen worktop.

Shape into a ball...

... with the smooth side facing up.

Place the dough ball in a panettone paper mould.

Leave to rise in the proofing chamber...

... for 2 hours...

... with the lid closed...

... at a temperature of 30°C.

Two hours later, the dough should have risen almost to the top of the mould.

Leave to rise a little longer until the dough reaches the rim of the mould.

For the icing: Organise all the necessary ingredients.

In a food processor bowl, place the whole almonds and icing sugar.

Mix until finely ground.

Add the vegetable oil (such as sunflower)...

... and bitter almond flavouring.

Add the egg white.

Mix until you get a soft paste consistency. Add more egg white if needed.

Transfer the icing into a piping bag.

Cut the end of the bag with scissors.

Pipe the icing over the surface of the panettone into a thin layer...

... in the shape of a spiral.

Even the surface carefully with a metallic spatula. Make sure the layer of icing is very thin and you don't press on the dough so the panettone doesn't collapse.

Arrange a few whole almonds over the icing...

... and sprinkle with pearl sugar.

Finish with a thin layer of icing sugar.

Bake in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 190°C (gas 5) on the bottom rack...

... for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 170°C (gas 3) and bake for another 30 minutes. Total baking time should be between 50 minutes and one hour.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Leave to cool.

This panettone will keep well for a few days in an airtight plastic bag. Enjoy!