Winter2020v4 | Page 3

PAGE 3 WINTER 2020 Italian American Digest

Ever wonder how to make panettone ? The dome-shaped , fluffy holiday cake with over 500 years of history is a staple of any Italian Christmas . Every year , Italians scoop up the " big bread " from local bakeries and specialty shops , wrapped and ribboned and readyto-gift . Unlike other rustic Italian desserts , this is one that rarely gets made at home – but why ?

Any curious baker who has explored how to make panettone will soon discover a long journey ahead . To find out the secrets to a soft , satisfying , and expertlycrafted panettone , we went behind the scenes with Tommaso Muzzi , a small pastry shop founded in 1795 in the heart of Foligno , a town in central Umbria . Today , Tommaso Muzzi continues to make their panettone according to the traditional recipe .
One reason that panettone is such a special seasonal treat ? It is just so difficult to make ! For the bakers at Tommaso Muzzi , the process begins a full four days before the finished cake is cooled and out of the forno . They start from a 100-year-old lievito madre , or natural mother yeast , which provides the soft texture and superior flavor in each cake . After refreshing the mother yeast – a carefully guarded process and the secret to the complex , deep flavors of any dough – Tommaso

How to Make Panettone : Behind the Scenes at Tommaso Muzzi

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Muzzi bakers bring together flour , water , and the sourdough starter . Next , butter , sugar , candied fruit ,
Kneading machine working on the next batch of panettone at Tommasso Muzzi
raisins , and milk are kneaded in , creating a smooth , golden dough . From there , the dough undergoes not one , not two , but five different stages of fermentation . Not only does this process leave the panettone with a barely-there tangy taste , it also helps the panettone to maintain its freshness and texture . With such a finicky , sensitive dough , it ' s easy to see why many – Italians included – are keen to leave the baking to the experts !
Besides the slow and steady rise , there is one factor that can make or break a panettone , and that is – you guessed it – the raw ingredients . In Tommaso Muzzi ' s case , every ingredient is carefully selected according to rigorous standards , from the farm-fresh butter sourced from the grasslands of Northern Italy to the plump raisins and candied citrus sourced from the south of Italy . In the words of Tommaso Muzzi bakers , each ingredient should be taken care of " as though it were a baby ."
And the final secret step ? A nice , long upside-down hang . To retain its iconic puffed-up shape , the bakers gently skewer the bottom of the fresh panettone and hang them upside down on a rack until cool , allowing the dome shape to set .
And when it comes to eating panettone ? You can dress it up any way you like , but Tommaso Muzzi recommends that the ropey , pull-apart cake needs no addition to achieve palate perfection . There is just one important thing to remember : never , ever eat it cold ! Let your panettone come to room temperature , or even slightly warmer ( set it in a warm corner of your kitchen for about an hour , or do as the Italians do and put it on the radiator , wrapping and all ) to help to bring out the aromas of the ingredients .
Then , use a serrated knife to slice large wedges . Nota bene : a non-serrated will squash your panettone ! Finally , taste . As Tommaso Muzzi says , try paying attention to the aftertaste that remains on your palate – sweet yet citrusy , it will no doubt leave you wanting for another bite of the festive , pleasing flavor .