Chocolate-Cranberry Panettone

This fruit-studded sweet bread hails originally from the Italian city of Milan. It is enjoyed at Christmas and New Year throughout southern Europe and as far afield as South America. Stale panettone can be used to make a fruit-filled bread pudding, and is fantastic toasted and spread with butter.

MAKES: one 7-inch loaf

PREP TIME: 40 minutes

SOAKING TIME: at least 2 hours

RISING TIME: 4 hours

COOKING TIME: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Panettone

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp dark rum
• 2 Tbsp cold water
• ⅔ cup warm water (about 110ºF)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 3 ½ cups bread flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (1 to 2 lemons)
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• Egg Wash
• 1 large egg whisked with 1 Tbsp water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, toss the cranberries with the rum and cold water. Set aside to soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. Pour the warm water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoonful of the sugar and the yeast over the water. Let stand until puffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in ¾ cup of the flour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl and using a hand-held electric mixer), beat together the butter and remaining sugar until smooth and pale.
5. Beat in the egg and egg yolks until well combined. Beat in the yeast mixture, lemon zest, salt and vanilla extract.
6. Beat in the remaining 2 ¾ cups of flour, in three additions, until a shaggy dough forms.
7. Fit the stand mixer (if using) with the dough hook attachment. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn down the speed to low and mix in the cranberry mixture and chocolate until evenly distributed through the dough.
8. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a few times to bring it together into a ball. (If not using a stand mixer, mix in the flour until combined, then turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Knead in the cranberry mixture and chocolate until evenly distributed through the dough.)
9. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning the dough to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, or loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
10. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough to remove the air. Shape it into a smooth ball, then place it in a 7-inch diameter paper panettone mould. Cover the mould loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, place the oven rack in the centre position and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
11. Have ready a large saucepan at least 8 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep. (You’ll hang the finished panettone in it to cool.)
12. Brush the egg wash over the top of the panettone. Bake until the panettone is golden brown on top, a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centre registers 200ºF, 30 to 35 minutes.
13. Immediately push two long wooden skewers horizontally and at right angles to each other through the paper mould at the base of the panettone so that they poke out the other side. Invert the panettone inside the large saucepan so the skewers support the panettone on the edge of the saucepan and the panettone is suspended inside it. Let the panettone cool completely. (The panettone is best served the day it’s baked, but can be stored at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.)

TOOL KIT

• If you don’t have a panettone mould, grease a deep 6-inch round baking pan. Line the pan with a double thickness of parchment paper large enough to extend 4 inches above the sides of the pan. Tie a piece of kitchen twine around the paper extension. Follow the recipe as above, but instead of suspending the baked panettone in the saucepan, cool it right side up in the pan on a wire rack. The texture of the finished
  panettone will be denser, but it will still taste wonderful.