Panettone is the centerpiece of Italian holiday traditions. We can’t get enough of it — or talk enough about what it is, the legend of how it was first made, what to pair it with, and how to use the leftovers. We haven’t yet uncovered how this legendary and delicious cake is made. We’ve partnered with famed Pasticceria Fumagalli to learn more about the panettone-making process.
Pasticceria Fumagalli has been producing premium panettone and other artisanal products in Lombardy since 1971 and achieved fame by winning the first and most famous contest dedicated to panettone: Panettone Day. Pasticceria Fumagalli is focused on using the finest ingredients, new ideas, and traditional techniques to achieve the best taste possible. Outside of the holiday season, they are busy testing and researching new ingredients and flavor combinations. Once the pre-Christmas period arrives, they start the annual panettone production. It takes 3 days to make their panettone from start to finish.
Just like with the beginnings of the best (and oldest) styles of bread, panettone starts with yeast. Traditionally, a lievito madre, or “mother yeast” is the base for the cakes. This sourdough-like starter gets “fed” daily with only flour and water and is left to ferment with the natural yeast in the environment and air. This lievito madre starter creates a rich and deeply flavored panettone. Pasticceria Fumagalli laboratory has a lievito madre that is over 100 years old and has passed through 3 generations of pastry chefs. When Head Pastry Chef Renato Paolo Frascio moved from Genova to Milan, he was gifted some of the lievito madre that had been created by his Master's great-grandfather.
Another technique is to create a "poolish" or "preferment." With this technique, Pasticceria Fumagalli mixes premium yeast, flour, and water in the evening. This mixture then rests for at least 12 hours at a warm room temperature to ferment and develop a rich flavor.
The morning after, this fermented yeasted dough is mixed with more flour and water. Next, almost-sinful amounts of egg yolks and butter are mixed into the dough, giving it that classic golden color. This new enriched dough is kneaded until the ideal gluten development has been reached. Now, it’s time to add the mix-ins!
Traditional panettone has plenty of dried fruit, like raisins and sultanas, and candied citrus studded throughout the dough. Nowadays, you can find countless other flavors and combinations, like pistachio, orange chocolate, and chocolate pear. Pasticceria Fumagalli has created two exclusive, limited-edition flavors for Eataly: an aromatic traditional flavor with candied orange and Australian raisins and a unique combination of coffee, dark chocolate, and candied orange.
These ingredients must be added once the dough reaches the right texture, so the little pieces are flecked throughout the dough, instead of sinking to the bottom. This mixture will again rest for about 1 hour in a process called puntare, meaning to leaven.
After puntare, the chef starts pezzatura e pirlatura: cutting and shaping the cakes. They cut each panettone to be a specific weight and then manually shape each one so it rises into the perfect domed shape. The pirlatura technique is difficult to master and is considered an art form. Once these cakes are shaped, they are transferred into the iconic paper wrappers and left to rise one last time — for 6 hours!
For the last step before baking, the panettone is finished with a sweet almond glaze and extra toppings right before baking. If the panettone flavor does not have a glaze, a cross will be cut into the “crust” on top of the dough (a process called scarpatura), so the cake can rise into the signature domed shape.
Once the cakes are baked to the perfect golden brown color, they are removed from the oven and left to cool for 24 hours. But these cakes aren’t like any others while they cool, just sitting on the counter. Panettone is pierced in the bottom with skewers and hung upside down! This preserves the beautiful dome shape (and creates a wild sight to see).
Panettone is a beloved Italian holiday treat, and we can now see why it’s reserved for special occasions! Find two exclusive, limited edition flavors from Pasticceria Fumagalli for Eataly: an aromatic traditional flavor with candied orange and Australian raisins and Dolce Risveglio, a unique twist of coffee, dark chocolate, and candied orange.
Don’t forget to get this labor of love for your holiday spread — stop by your local Eataly, get local delivery, or order online to find your favorite flavor.