With its characteristic shape, Panettone is the specialty Christmas cake of Milan with an ancient and noble tradition.
Technically is is a type of sweet bread loaf that is made during a long process that involves the curing of the dough, which is acidic, similar to sourdough. The proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its distinctive fluffy characteristics. It contains candied orange, citron, and lemon zest, as well as raisins, which are added dry and not soaked. Many other variations are available such as plain or with chocolate.
It is served in slices, vertically cut, accompanied with sweet hot beverages or a sweet wine. Legend would have in that at the end of the fourteenth century a pastry maker from the court of Visconti (Milan) wanted to bake a cake for his sweetheart, but during the preparation something went wrong and the dough rose out of all proportion. In this manner the panettone was born, a delicious recipe, a fluffy delicacy for kindling the magical atmosphere of Christmas.
