Chocolate Chip Panettone
A delicious chocolate chip panettone for Christmas, New Year, Easter, or anytime as a treat.
Originally from Milan, panettone is a fluffy, Italian sweet bread typically enjoyed during Christmas and New Year. I think it also makes a wonderful treat during Easter, or any other celebration. With chunks of chocolate and a hint of orange, this panettone is a terrific treat.
The more traditional panettone includes candied fruits and is risen three times over a 20-hour period. While allowing the panettone to rise for such an extensive time would undoubtedly add to the fluffiness of the finished panettone, it comes out lovey with only two short risings.
My recipe calls for neither the extended rise time or the candied fruit; however, candied fruit or raisins make the ideal substitutes for chocolate if desired.
Try serving panettone with crema di mascarpone. This is a cream made from eggs, mascarpone cheese, and amaretto or other sweet liqueur that is served in some regions of Italy.
Ingredients
(Makes 12 servings)
1 cup 2% milk, warmed (~ 110°F / 43°C) (lactose-free if needed)
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
3 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener (or granulated sugar)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon avocado oil
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the warmed milk, yeast, egg yolks, eggs, zest, and vanilla. Blend on low for several minutes. Add the sweetener. Once the sweetener is dissolved, turn off the mixer and add the flour. Continue blending on low, switching to a dough hook when the dough begins to come together. Add the softened butter and continue to mix for several minutes until fully blended. Add the chocolate chunks and mix well. This will result is a sticky dough.
Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat the dough surface with a thin coating of oil. Cover the bowl with clingwrap rubbed with a little oil to help stop the dough from sticking once it has risen. Place the bowl in a warm location and let rise for 90 minutes.
Punch down the dough then transfer into a 7-inch panettone paper baking mould set on a baking sheet. Place back in a warm location to continue rising until the dough puffs up a little higher than the top of the mould (about an hour).
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and place the oven rack in the middle position. Bake for about 45 minutes until the top is browned and a skewer comes out clean when tested in the centre of the panettone. Remove from the oven.
To avoid the top from caving inwards as the panettone cools, insert two long skewers or forks into opposite sides of the bottom of the panettone (through the paper mould), and suspend the loaf so that it hangs upside-down between tall jars or in a very large pot. The panettone should have several inches of clearance from the countertop and around all sides.
Cool to room temperature then serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 207 | total fat = 7.59g | saturated fat = 2.92g | cholesterol = 80.17mg | sodium = 282.39mg | net carbohydrates = 34g | dietary fibre = 0.76g | sugars = 3.02g | protein = 5.58g
