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Gluten-Free Panettone

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Panettone is a yeast-leavened cake, filled with dried fruits that are soaked in rum.

Panettone is made with the enriched dough which means it has butter, eggs, and dairy, and is shaped into a cylindrical shape with a domed, lofty top.

This version of panettone is gluten-free for all those who want to enjoy quality sweet bread, without any issues.

Apologies in advance to any panettone purists or traditional Italians, but we have to take care and bring the best recipes to all our friends.

The Origin Of Panettone

Panettone was created in Milan, the Lombard region of Italy, and it dates back to the 15th century. There are different stories about how panettone was created, and as with any great recipe, there is a love story included.

It is believed that panettone was made by a nobleman who wanted to win the heart of the baker’s daughter, so he created sweet bread to woo her.

And some believe a nun named Sister Ughetta made it for her sisterhood, and that is where the cross on panettone comes from. 

Whatever the true story is, the panettone is a delicious fruit bread that is a cross between a fruit cake and brioche.

And although this bread is a one-day project, it is worth it when you bite into the hard crust, followed by a pillowy center, filled with pieces of candied orange and lemon zest and fruits soaked in rum.

What Pan To Use For Panettone

Traditionally, panettone is baked in paper molds which are readily available in shops and Amazon. The recipe I made here will make two 5-inch panettones, or you can make one big one.

Panettone is traditionally made in these, so we will stick with that. The paper mold is also very important because of the cooling process. Once baked, the Panettone is cooled down inverted.

This means you will insert wooden skewers through the bottom of your panettone and let it hang upside down, on large food cans, until cooled down.

This will prevent your panettone from deflating and becoming too dense during the cooling process.

What Is Enriched Bread Dough?

This panettone is made with enriched bread dough. There are two methods for the enriched bread dough:

  • Straight enriched; this is like the dump method, where you dump everything in the stand mixer. It is all in and you do not have to even bloom the yeast.
  • Sponge enriched; you make a sponge starter by mixing the yeast with some sugar and a little flour and you let it ferment on its own from one to three hours, before adding the rest of the ingredients.

The recipe I made here is with sponge enriched dough. Although this is a longer method, it will give amazing results. If want to quicken things, then you can go with straight enriched dough.

Does The Panettone Need To Rest Overnight?

As mentioned already, panettone is a project, but it is worth the effort. This recipe does have an overnight cold ferment, where you will allow the dough to be proofed in the fridge overnight.

This is ideal because cold fermentation allows the dough to develop a superior structure and flavor.

The classic fermentation process exhausts the benefits quickly, so the maximum rise and flavor happen straight away, so the cold temperature is the best for a quality panettone.

How To Slice And Serve Panettone

The panettone is sliced into thin wedges, and if you use paper molds, you can cut right into it with a serrated knife. Panettone is perfect to be served alone because it has rich and buttery dough, enriched with dried fruits.

Still, you can serve it with a smear of butter on it, apricot jam, or desired jam. Panettone is also deliciously toasted but be careful because of all the butter in the dough it may burn quickly. 

What Else Can Be Added?

Panettone is a sweet bread that has few components that cannot be changed, but you can change others to have it more your way.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Choose desired dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, dried apricots)
  • You can add more lemon zest besides candied lemon peel. The same with the orange – just grate the fresh zest and combine it with the dough.
  • If you are making your candied lemon and orange peel, make sure to reserve the syrup. You can use the syrup to brush the panettone after it is baked. 

Gluten-Free Panettone

Preparation time: 1 day

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2 5-inch panettone

Ingredients

For the panettone:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 3 ¼ cup gluten-free flour (if the flour does not contain xanthan gum, add 3 tsp)
  • 1 ½ tbsp instant dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cup dried fruits
  • ¼ cup candied orange and lemon peel, chopped
  • ¼ cup dark rum

For the egg wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp water

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and ¼ cup warmed milk. Set it aside for 15 minutes. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining milk, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour (with xanthan gum if the flour does not contain one), salt, and lemon zest.

4. Fold in egg mixture and yeast. 

5. Stir the dough until it comes together. Smear the butter and work it into the dough. Cover the dough and let it cool overnight in the fridge.

6. Soak your dried fruits in rum. Let them soak for 1 hour. 

7. Remove your dough from the fridge. 

8. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

9. Scatter the dried fruits over the dough and fold in gently, overlapping the dough a few times over the fruits. 

10. Once the fruits and candied peel are worked into the dough, divide it into two pieces. Place each piece into a panettone mold and let it sit for 30 minutes.

11. Beat egg with water to make an egg wash. Make a cross sign on top of the panettone and brush it with egg wash.

12. Bake the panettone for 45 minutes.

13. Remove the bread from the oven. Insert two long wooden skewers through the paper mold at the base of the panettone, making sure they are parallel and 1 ½-inches from the bottom.

14. Invert and suspend the panettone by the skewers in a large pot or hanging between two large cans. Let the panettone cool in that position.

15. Once cooled down, you can serve your panettone. 

Gluten-Free Panettone

Gluten-Free Panettone

Yield: 2 5-inch panettone
Prep Time: 1 day
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 day 45 minutes

Delightfully sweet and fluffy, this gluten-free panettone recipe is sure to hit the spot!

Ingredients

For the panettone:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 3 ¼ cup gluten-free flour (if the flour does not contain xanthan gum, add 3 tsp)
  • 1 ½ tbsp instant dry yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cup dried fruits
  • ¼ cup candied orange and lemon peel, chopped
  • ¼ cup dark rum

For the egg wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp water

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and ¼ cup warmed milk. Set it aside for 15 minutes. 
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining milk, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour (with xanthan gum if the flour does not contain one), salt, and lemon zest.
  4. Fold in egg mixture and yeast. 
  5. Stir the dough until it comes together. Smear the butter and work it into the dough. Cover the dough and let it cool overnight in the fridge.
  6. Soak your dried fruits in rum. Let them soak for 1 hour. 
  7. Remove your dough from the fridge. 
  8. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scatter the dried fruits over the dough and fold in gently, overlapping the dough a few times over the fruits. 
  9. Once the fruits and candied peel are worked into the dough, divide it into two pieces. Place each piece into a panettone mold and let it sit for 30 minutes. 
  10. Beat egg with water to make an egg wash. Make a cross sign on top of the panettone and brush it with egg wash.
  11. Bake the panettone for 45 minutes.
  12. Remove the bread from the oven. Insert two long wooden skewers through the paper mold at the base of the panettone, making sure they are parallel and 1 ½-inches from the bottom.
  13. Invert and suspend the panettone by the skewers in a large pot or hanging between two large cans. Let the panettone cool in that position.
  14. Once cooled down, you can serve your panettone. 

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