Bake This Panettone For The Perfect Christmas Gift
Julia Stix loves Christmas. “It is my favourite time of the year!” says the photographer and food stylist. “I love to decorate our home and I usually start way too early! Each year we prepare an advent calendar for our children with little gifts for each day until the 24th of December.”
Her new book, Festive, Recipes for Advent is packed with ideas for Christmassy treats that you can enjoy at home, or gift to friends and family. “It’s wonderful to give something made with love,” says Julia – and in the case of this panettone, we definitely agree.
Panettone
Serves 4
50g (¾ oz) butter, plus extra for the tin
300ml (10½ fl oz) milk, plus 1 tbsp milk for brushing
3 cups (450 g) plain flour
80g (2¾ oz) white sugar
1 pinch salt
20g (¾ oz) fresh yeast
1 orange
100g (3½ oz) white chocolate
⅓ cup (50 g) candied orange peel
⅓ cup (50 g) candied lemon peel
¼ cup (30 g) unsalted pistachios
1 egg yolk
Icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting
Heat the butter and milk in a small saucepan to melt the butter. Leave to cool. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the sugar and salt and combine thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Crumble the yeast into the well and add 3 tbsp of the milk mixture. Cover and set aside for about 15 minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture and knead to form a smooth dough. Cover again and leave to rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place.
Wash the orange under hot water, pat dry and finely grate the zest. Coarsely chop the white chocolate, candied orange and lemon peel and pistachios. Combine the mixture with the orange zest. Vigorously knead the dough, incorporating the pistachio mixture.
Grease a panettone tin (or a small kugelhopf tin). Transfer the dough to the tin, cover and leave to rise for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Bake the panettone on the middle rack for about 30 minutes. Whisk the egg yolk into the extra milk and brush it over the cake. Continue to bake the panettone for another 15 minutes on the lowest rack. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Dust generously with icing sugar to serve.
Extract from Festive, Recipes for Advent by Julia Stix, Murdoch Books, $24.99.