Not only a Christmas dessert:
how to eat Panettone all year long

This may seem the wrongest moment of the year to talk about Panettone but you have to know that this delicious holiday-time bread is more and more used all year long as part of simple, no-bake yet tasty recipes and that’s exactly what you need in summertime! Panettone is a Milanese specialty born in the early 1900s and largely due to his efforts it’s enjoyed around the world today. It starts with a very eggy, sweet dough, similar to brioche, that’s studded with raisins, candied orange, citron, and lemon zest. It’s allowed to rise three times for a total of nearly 20 hours, giving it a supremely light, fluffy texture.

The easiest way to serve a Panettone is just as it is. Unwrap it, warm for a few seconds in the microwave or for a few minutes in the oven so that it becomes softer and releases all its flavors and then cut it with a knife as if it were a cake.

You can serve the Panettone after the meal together with fresh fruits and sweet wine or liquors, with Espresso coffee and dark chocolate or with tea and honey for a sweet break. Lot of Italians also use to warm the leftovers and dip them in the milk for breakfast.

If you want to go for the plain-serving, consider that nowadays lot of different versions of Panettone are available on the market: with chocolate cream or chips, with lemon cream and zest, with vanilla cream, with liquors, pistachios, almonds… there’s to suit all tastes so just need to choose the one you and your guests will enjoy more!

If you are a salty recipes supporter, you can serve a savory version of the Panettone! This is a really simple but original recipes that will surely make your guests ask for the second turn. Great as appetizer or for a rich aperitivo.

Because the Panettone bread is so fragrant and flavorful, you only need a couple of other ingredients to make a wowser of a recipe: make thin slices of your Panettone and fill with your favorite cheese and ham. We suggest using a blue cheese since it pairs perfectly with the candied fruit, but you can also use a more delicate one if you prefer. Then, toast it.

If you want to have a condiment on your sandwich, we suggest mustard, which goes well with the ham and cheese and is a nice counterpoint to the sweet bread, or a few drops of honey to counterbalance the strong taste of the blue cheese.

Panettone and Ice cream is a must all year long: in summer, it’s a fresh and original dessert or snack. In Christmas time it’s perfect to finish the long, holiday dinner with a refreshing, digestive dessert – tastier than the classic sorbet!

There are two ways you can make a Panettone and Ice-cream: the first and easiest is, to cut two slices of Panettone and simply fill it with Ice-cream. We suggest vanilla ice-cream because, being delicate, it won’t cover all the flavors of candied and bread.

The second way is a bit longer but the result is definitely worthy: take a large bowl and wrap the inside with plastic wrap, then cut the panettone in circular slices. Put one slice at the bottom of the bowl and the others in circle all around the bowl. When the interior of the bowl is all covered with Panettone, sprinkle it with sugary water or Cointreau. Fill the Panettone-bowl with vanilla ice cream. You can add chocolates chips to it if you like. Lay the circle of panettone on top and fold any ends of the side pieces of panettone over. Set aside in the freezer overnight and take out half an hour before you are ready to eat.

If you are a tiramisu fan, you cannot but try this special Tiramisu with Panettone! It’s a quick make-ahed dessert that requires no bake. You can make a large casserole and serve it directly on the table or you can serve nice mini-portions.

To make a tiramisu with Panettone you just need to follow the classic tiramisu recipe and use the Panettone thinly sliced instead of the classic Ladyfingers. The flavors of the Panettone combine perfectly with the rich yet delicate Mascarpone cream. Add a few drops of Marsala to the coffee and the result will be mouth-watering.

Do you love Mascarpone cream but do not love Tiramisu or have a really short time? That’s easy: cut the panettone, prepare the Mascarpone Cream and serve it together, with the cream in a small bowl as a side or directly over it. Add some chocolate or fresh fruit according to your taste.

A Panettone turned into a French Toast is probably the best and easiest morning breakfast, perfect if you want to try a different breakfast with your family or if you are planning a brunch with friends.

French toasts are already great for large crowds and can be made ahead. Using a Panettone brings them to the next level since the bread has so much flavors! All you have to do is whisk together some eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla and pour it over the slices of bread and then bake it.

If you want a sweet toast, you can also slice the bread and fill with Nutella (really Italian!) or your favorite jam, then toast it. Delicious served with milk – you can also dip it or with whipped cream and crumbled biscuits for a pastry-like result!