Ingredients:
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus a little more as needed
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 2/3 cup water
- 5 large eggs
- Zest from 1 orange, finely grated
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
- Cooking oil spray
- 1/2 cup dark raisins
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup candied orange peel, or a combination of diced dried fruit, such as apricots, pears, cranberries, or dried cherries
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 1/4 cup hot water
Equipment:
- Stand mixer
- 1 7×4-inch high paper panettone mold or 10×2-inch high cake pan
Directions:
- Place the dry fruits, candied orange peel, rum and water in a bowl. Cover and let soak overnight.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon instant yeast together until blended. Add the water and mix with a spoon. It should be a thick batter-like consistency. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes. This sponge mixture should double in size.
- In a bowl, whisk the remaining flour and salt together until blended.
- Once the sponge has risen, transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set it on medium speed, and add the eggs to the sponge one at a time, until each is incorporated. Continue at medium speed and add the orange zest, sugar, and vanilla.
- Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually add about 2 1/2 cups of the flour mixture and mix for about 2 minutes, or until blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough should be very soft and stretchy. Gradually add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour until it is incorporated.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead on low speed for 7 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and elastic. Stop as needed to push down any dough that has climbed up the dough hook.
- While still on low speed, gradually add the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is incorporated. Continue to mix with the dough hook for 2-3 minutes until the dough is shiny and soft. The dough should be very soft and still sticky and will just barely pull away from the sides of the bowl, but not the bottom. If it still extremely sticky, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of flour.
- Form dough into a ball in the mixing bowl. Spray lightly with cooking oil spray and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the dough. Refrigerate for 8 – 12 hours.
- Place the panettone mold on a baking sheet. Drain the fruit.
- Place the dough ball on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12×15 inches. Spread the drained fruit on top of the dough. Using the rolling pin roll over the fruits to embed them into the dough.
- Shape the dough by first foling the long sides of the fruit-covered dough into thirds to form a rectangle. Then fold the bottom half of the rectangle to meet the top to form a square. Pat the square to a thickness of about 1 1/2 inches. Bring the corners in toward the center to form a ball, and pinch the loose ends together. Cup your hands around the dough to round the ball.
- Place the dough with the seam side down inside the panettone mold. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough reaches the top edge of the mold. Make sure the room is warm, as it will take longer to rise in a cold room.
- 30 minutes before the panettone is ready to be baked, set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- When the dough has risen, use a sharp, serrated knife to score the surface in a shallow cross from edge to edge. Place the cold pat of butter in the center of the dough.
- Turn the oven down to 325°F. Bake the panettone for 30 minutes. Then place a piece of foil loosely over the top to keep it from browning too much. Continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the side of the cake registers 195°F.
- Remove it from the oven, transfer to rack, and let cool completely in the paper mold.
