Panettone is a traditional Italian bread with a spongy texture and distinctive flavors of citron, raisins, and lemon zest. It is difficult to make at home due to its unique leavening process, but can be found in Italian delicatessens and specialty food stores. It can be eaten as breakfast bread or an afternoon snack, and is often served with mascarpone, butter, or zabaglione. The origin of the bread is uncertain, but it is believed to have originated in Milan and may have been created during the Christmas season.
Panettone is a large cylindrical bread with a dome that probably originated in Milan, Italy. Although it is now made and eaten year-round in Italy and imported to many countries around the world, including the United States, it may have started out as bread baked during the Christmas season. The bread has a light spongy texture, thanks to its special leavening process.
Unlike quicker recipes where fresh or dried yeast is added to the ingredients, authentic panettone uses a starter, similar to a sourdough starter, to rise the bread. The entire leavening process can take 18-20 hours for commercial bakers, as leavening is not as expansive as yeast, without much time. The result though is undeniably different from most yeast breads. Although the starter contains yeast, the bread doesn’t have that particular yeasty taste. Instead the distinctive flavors come from chunks of citron, raisins and lemon zest, although you can find plain versions of the bread or even chocolate versions.
Because of the unique leavening process, it’s difficult to make this bread at home unless you’re willing to spend several days preparing an appetizer or you don’t have a starter on hand. Luckily, although most panettone companies make this bread in Italy, there are plenty of imports to the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. You’ll find panettone in many Italian delicatessens and specialty food stores, and you can order it online from a number of companies, especially at Christmas. The bread ships well and stores well, and when it’s stale, it’s still delicious toasted or made into rich French toast.
Italians can eat panettone with mascarpone, a little butter or zabaglione. It can be served as breakfast bread or eaten as an afternoon snack. Toasted slices of bread can be served with sweet or sparkling wines, and many enjoy dipping the bread in wine.
There are several stories about the origin of bread, some more probable than others. Some date the beginning of bread to the Roman Empire, while others suggest the 16th century may have seen the advent of panettone. In particular, a painting by Pieter Bruegel (the father) shows bread that appears to be panettone. It was clearly made in the 18th century and is mentioned in writing.
A popular legend is loved for its romantic nature. In the 15th century, a man fell in love with an impoverished baker’s daughter. Her name was Tonio and the man feared that his rich family would never allow him to marry a poor girl. With his family, the man developed a recipe that became instantly popular, making Tonio and his family very wealthy. The result was the introduction of bread in Milan, called pan de Tonio, and a happy marriage between the couple. In some versions, a man named Tonio or Toni, who was a baker, developed bread in order to marry a rich girl.
More likely the name comes from the size of the bread. Pan means bread, but adding tone the word means big bread. This is a less exciting version of how the bread got its name, so the legend is often preferred as many consider it to be just as delicious as its result: delicious, light, unique bread that is now popular throughout Italy and known throughout much of the world. world.
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