Pasta Madre Chocolate Panettone For The Daring Bakers. Traditional Recipe From The Simili Sisters
Christmas. Maybe the most stressful time of the year is just before it. Deadlines at work, kids needing to be spoiled, families expecting Lucullian feasts. And us? The mothers, wives, and hosts, what do we want for Christmas?
This year, what I really wanted and had in my mind constantly was to make my own panettone. But, oh boy, baking a panettone in the heat of the pre-Christmas collective hysteria? That was the biggest challenge ever. Panettone takes indeed two days of patient care and there is no way around it. My previous quicker attempts with alternative methods were in fact a true disappointment. Only when I resolved to go the hard way, with the quintessential traditional recipe, the miracle happened and panettone manifested itself in my kitchen. Happy also to participate with this to the December’s challenge of the Daring Bakers hosted by Marcellina from Marcellina in Cucina and dedicated to panettone.
The recipe I used is possibly the most popular one in Italy when it comes to home-made panettone and was passed to us mortals by the holy Simili sisters (sorelle Simili for us Italians), founders of a culinary school and authors of the slim but concentrated baking bible Pane e Roba Dolce. Their panettone is based on natural leaven, pasta madre, which is the traditional stiff sourdough Italian bakers generally use (SCROLL DOWN FOR THE RECIPE). *NOTA PER I LETTORI ITALIANI: la ricetta completa (trascritta parola per parola dal libro delle Simili, ma sara’ legale?) la trovate qui.
PANETTONE WITH PASTA MADRE FROM SIMILI SISTERS
I followed the traditional recipe, only added grated zests and chocolate and omitted raisins and candied citrus. Also, I converted my 100% hydration starter into pasta madre (which is, a 50% hydration sourdough starter) but did not do the steps to “fortify” pasta madre as suggested by the Simili sisters. I trusted the power of my starter. If you have a lively starter, after converting it into a stiff one, follow all the steps below and in two days you will have good as hell traditional panettone.
YOU NEED
First Dough (to make at the end of Day 1)
225 gr “sweet” pasta madre***
550 gr bread flour
130 gr sugar
140 gr butter
250 gr luke-warm water
6 egg yolks
Final Dough (to make at the beginning of Day 2)
270 bread flour
140 gr butter
80 gr luke-warm water
25 gr powdered milk
50 gr sugar
grated zest of 2 organic lemons and 1 organic orange (my addition)
200 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped (my addition)
125 gr candied orange peel in small cubes
125 gr candied citrus peel in small cubes (I omitted it this time)
350 gr raisins (I omitted them this time)
10 gr salt (2 tea-spoon)
10 gr honey (1 tea-spoon)
10 gr barley malt (1 tea-spoon)
6 egg-yolks
1 vanilla pod, opened lengthwise and paste taken out with a knife
3 panettone molds (each for 750 gr panettone)
6 long skewers
***Sweet Pasta Madre
pasta madre (do this 2-3 days before making the panettone dough): convert your 100% hydration sourdough starter into a 50% hydration starter by taking 50 g of your regular 100% sourdough starter straight from the fridge and combine with 50 g water and 100 g flour. Perform 3-4 feeding like this (possibly even more), one every 12 hours. You will end up with a stiff sourdough, pasta madre (literally “mother dough”) that you have to shortly knead, then form into a ball and score with a cross on top.
sweet pasta madre (to be done during Day 1): once you have your stiff leaven, proceed to make it “sweet” (in the sense of less sour) enough for panettone. Make three feedings within 12-15 hours by keeping the pasta madre in a warm spot (the oven with the light on works), at about 26 degrees (Celsius, 78.8 Fahrenheit), and feeding it every 3-4 hours. The Simili sisters suggest:
1st feeding (morning) 50 g pasta madre, 50 g water and 100 g flour
2nd feeding (lunch time) 100 g pasta madre, 50 g water, 100 g flour
3rd feeding (late afternoon) 100 g pasta madre, 50 g water, 100 g flour
HOW TO
evening of Day 1: put the egg yolks in the water and whisk a little. Add the flour and the sugar and start kneading (at low speed if with a machine). Then add the pasta madre in pieces, little by little. At last add the butter, in pieces, in three times. My tip: overall you need to knead for about 15 minutes by machine (and 25 minutes by hand). Careful not to over-knead the dough, it should not be shiny. Place the dough in a tall bowl coated with a little butter, and let it rise at 28 degrees (Celsius, 82.4 Fahrenheit) for the first 2 hours, then at room temperature for 8-10 hours (depending on how warm you have it). The dough should increase 3-4 times in volume.
morning of Day 2: combine the water, the powdered milk, the sugar, the egg yolks, the honey, the malt, the salt, the vanilla paste and the grated zests. Add the flour and start kneading and then add also all the first dough. When all is well combined, add the butter, little by little. Knead for no more than 15 minutes by machine at low speed (25 minutes by hand). Incorporate the filling (in my case, chocolate and orange peel) at the end of the kneading. Coat a tray with butter and shape the dough in three balls weighting about 800 g each. Place them in a warm spot, about 28 degrees (Celsius, 82.4 Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes, covered. Shape again in 3 tight balls with hands coated with butter and place in 3 750 g each panettone molds. Make sure to place the molds on a oven tray BEFORE placing the dough in them. You won’t be able to move them individually but you will be allowed to move only the tray. Let rise at about 28 degrees (Celsius, 82.4 Fahrenheit) until the dough reaches the edges of the molds. To me this took 5 and 1/2 hours.
afternoon of Day 2: score a cross on top of each panettone (with a light hand) and slightly pull up the edges. Bake at 175 degrees (Celsius, 347 Fahrenheit) for about 35-40 minutes. The Simili suggest 25-30 minutes but my panettone were ready after 40 minutes. Best is to check the internal temperature, which should be around 95 degrees (Celsius, 203 Fahrenheit). Once the panettone is baked, put 2 skewers in the bottom part of the panettone and keep the panettone hanging upside down (see the picture) until cool.
scoring
cooling down – upside down
here’s the baby. sorry but the first slices moved too fast for my camera to catch
CONSIDERATIONS: this was, without a doubt, the most challenging bake I have ever made. To create a dough able to rise 6, 7 times in volume using only natural leaven sounded actually impossible to me and I did not believe it until I saw it. Knowing that anything wrong in the formula, or in the way I kneaded the dough, or in the temperature, could have stopped the miracle, made me so nervous that I could hardly notice it was just around Christmas and I had a big dinner to prepare, presents to wrap, an so on. I lived for my panettone dough for two days and when, finally allowed to flip the finished product and cut a slice, I realized it actually tasted like panettone – not sour at all, just heavenly light and delicately sweet – I entered at once into the Christmas mood. Uplifted, just like the dough. Too bad I could not take plenty of pictures. The first panettone was in fact already half devoured when the morning came, and the other cakes could not be opened… one was indeed saved for our Lucullian Christmas dinner and the other will fly to Italy with my mother tomorrow morning (I know, I am a good kid). So just trust me. This recipe rocks. Next year you may get better pictures of the outcome. Until then, hope you had a great time (as we did) and that this recipe will one day uplift you, too, and help in making your festivities unforgettable.
CONSIDERAZIONI: Finalmente mi sono decisa ad usare la ricetta delle Simili e vi assicuro che non la lascero’ piu’. Il secondo panettone, aperto ieri sera per i nostri ospiti, era assolutamente favoloso. Mi dispiace non aver potuto fare molte foto, con tutte le celebrazioni di questi giorni non ce ne e’ davvero stata l’occasione. Un grazie vivissimo alle grandissime Simili, che hanno contribuito a rendere questo Natale veramente speciale.
This bread goes to Susan
the lovely Scandinavian vintage napkin is from Stockholm Retro
Barbara Elisi
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So beautiful Barbara!! I really really wanted to make a panettone with my starter, but I got intimidated by how involved the process is… however based on your amazing success, I will try it next year following your recipe. It looks so good! Happy Holidays 🙂
This looks fabulous – I love this chocolate version. It sure was a labour of love.
Count me in on thinking it was too complicated with a sourdough starter, but you’ve convinced me too! I’m going to try it for our New Year’s party next week 🙂
oh wow…. and all that in the time before christmas- I’m deeply impressed- and can only guess at the wonderful taste. Here in germany I have not met a really tasty panettone….
I wish you happy days for the rest of this year, and a very good start into 2013
Those look professional! Great job and happy holidays
This looks fantastic and your beautiful photos certainly give a good idea of how wonderful it must have been to smell and eat! I like the sound of the Daring Bakers too, I will be investigating…
Wow, what a gorgeous job!! I am utterly speechless by the beauty of this loaf! Great job!!
Wow, you are a miracle worker, indeed, managing to fit in such a time consuming cake into the holiday preparations! It is just lovely though, and I love your choice of chocolate and orange zest.
Looks amazing! Great job on the challenge!
you captured my life pre-christmas perfectly! i applaud you! i could not get this challenge in before christmas, and finished it last night! your panattone looks beautiful! congrats 🙂
This is totally amazing! Could be the best panettone I have ever seen! Thumbs up for you!
quest’anno mi e` davvero mancato un bel panettone! ….mi riprometto di provarci l’anno prossimo!
Intanto ti auguro un felicissimo 2013 e mi segno questa fantastica ricetta!
francesca
non ci credo che sei così brava….. bravissima, mi fai venire un travaso di bile!!!!
Mi manchi anche tu, mi chiedevo dove eri finita.. ma nell’anno nuovo ci si ribecca presto presto!! Il babbo tutto ok, operato e a casa pronto per mangiare come nuovo… si spera!!! Ci sentiamo presto passerotto bravassimo e pasticcere! Baci grossi anche alla piccolina! con il cuore Barbara, tvb
Sandra
girl, this is amazing! susan did them as well for xmas. i am blown away by anyone who does panettone, but these look particularly incredible with chocolate.
i hope you had a great xmas!
Mille complimenti per il panettone e non solo! Non so cosa darei per riuscire a realizzarlo anch’io così alto e soffice! Un abbraccio e buon anno
You have successfully accomplished a true Italian specialty! I am now completely inspired to try my best to make panettone for Christmas next year! Such beautiful, beautiful photos of a delicious treat! Buon Natale (a little bit late).
Baci,
Roz
Oh my! You are my baking hero!!! THIS panettone is amazing! I would love to sample a slice! So lucky are your guests! And yes, you are fabulous to give one to your mother! Hope you had a wonderful and serene Christmas after such a baking feat! Congratulations!
Wow! You are so patient and talented. I could never do this.
But it looks like it paid off! Congratulations. 🙂
What’s sad is that I’ve never tried panettone, which is just ridiculous considering that it’s everywhere. Not homemade, but still… I’m interested in giving it a try.
Enjoy the rest of your holidays! I hope the stressful time is finished for you. 🙂
Mi fa un sacco piacere vedere che il panettone ti e’ venuto benissimo. Le mie due avventure con ricette diverse non sono finite bene perche’ impastare senza la macchina non e’ per nulla facile. Ho praticamente abbandonato l’idea. Mi piace anche come ti e’ venuto con il cioccolato. Complimenti! E auguroni di Buon Anno!
fare il panettone e’ un lavoro fatto con tanto amore e pazienza. your panettone is beautiful and one day I will try this recipe:)buone feste e saluti dalla Florida:)
Oh, Barbara… I love these pretty panetonne’s!! Your photography really captures them as well, the bright cheery colors are beautiful! I’ve only ever purchased panetonne and last year my friend did the same and I only had one slice of each. She buys them for her friends as Christmas presents. Just imagine receiving a home-baked panetonne!! Heavenly!! xx
conosco il panettone delle simili, fatto l’anno scorso o due anni fa non ricordo, per festeggiare capodanno, è bellissimo non ha niente a che vedere con il classico panettone con lievito di birra per quanto buono possa essere! bisogna provarlo, mangiarlo, è diverso! Non avevo dubbi sulla riuscita sei bravissima! le foto rendono, altro che poche sono tante! 🙂 ciao cara sono riuscita a passare, ti auguro tanta felicità per il nuovo anno! a presto augurissimi!!!
Beautiful! What a lovely panettone 🙂
Wow! You are truly amazing! I love Panettone but I have not dared yet to try it. For a good reason I suppose. 😉 This really looks like a lot of work. Well done! This looks so beautiful!
Che cosa posso dire SEI PROPRIO BRAVA Barbara!!! Il panettone al cioccolato fatto in casa e’ DIVINO, la tua famiglia e’ proprio fortunata. Io definitivamente uso il panettone confezionato pieno di conservanti e additivi chimici come sostituti di vaniglia e mandorle…..ma mi piace leggere il tuo metodo e guardare la presentazione della tua ricetta!!!!Mi auguro che le tue feste siano state belle e riposanti tanto quanto le mie!!!
Bellissimo panettone,lo conoscevo già perchè ho provato a farlo diverse volte,e le ricette delle simili sono sempre una garanzia.Non capisco perchè hai scritto che è illegale scrivere la ricetta.Io ho visto riprodotto questo panettone in migliaia di siti,compreso questo anche se l’hai leggermente modificato,e secondo il mio punto di vista,una volta che ne viene citata la fonte non ci dovrebbero essere problemi,anzi è un’ottima pubblicità per il loro libro,non credi?Sarebbe impossibile risalire a tutte le blogger che ogni giorno pubblicano un’intera ricetta presa da qualche libro,anche perchè ormai fanno tutte così.
Chiudo il discorso e ti auguro un Buon Natale
It’s a wonderful Récipe of bread!! im love it the bread and without doubt more when i do it! Thanks so much!! Barbara. Still work for make this website evereday the Best!! ☺👌✌
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