BBA Challenge: Pannettone

This week the challenge was Panettone bread. It is traditionally a Christmas bread with roots in Italy. I think this bread took me almost 2 weeks to make. First I pulled my barm out of the freezer. I made it back on the Greek Celebration Bread. I froze it like the book said. After 3 days in the refridgerator it was soft and ready to go into a bowl and I was going to give it a few days worth of feeding and revive it. So I thought....I couldn't revive it..finally I cheated. I added some yeast to it rather than start all over trying to make barm. Once I had some bubbles I had to make another sponge using the barm, milk and flour. I then had to wait another day while that bubbled up. Meanwhile while I was making starter I cut up dried fruits-I used pears, peaches, prunes, craisins, golden raisins and apricots. I added some orange zest also.

I got the dough mixed up, then let it rest for 20 minutes then added the fruit and nuts.

I then put the dough in an oiled bowl and let it proof.

I deflated the dough and added it to a cheesecake pan and let it rise overnight in the pan as it was getting late and I needed to go to bed. I baked it off the next day.

I would liken this bread to more of a cake consistency. It has nice flavor. If I had to choose a holiday bread to make though I would prefer a stollen to pannettone.

Thank you Chris from http://www.akuindeed.com/ for hosting our challenges.