Ingredients

Method

• 10 g instant dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 100 g white sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• ½ cup plain yoghurt
• 1 T almond essence
• ½ t salt
• 480 g cake flour
• 200 g crimson raisins or sultanas
• 100 g cranberries
• 1 T butter, melted
• Honey, for drizzling
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• Crème fraîche, for serving
• Fresh figs, for serving

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line 3 medium-sized tins or wooden containers (soak these in water first) with baking paper and grease lightly. Combine the yeast, water, sugar, eggs, yoghurt, almond essence, zest and salt, and mix well.
Slowly stir in the flour, until the dough forms a manageable ball.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky (if necessary, add a little extra flour).
Place in a large, lightly greased bowl then cover and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Punch down in the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead in the raisins or sultanas and cranberries then divide into 3 equal balls.
Transfer to the baking containers, cover loosely with a dishtowel and allow to rise for 30 minutes (the dough will rise above the pan sides).

Brush each loaf with melted butter and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Leave to cool then drizzle over the honey and dust with icing sugar. Serve the sliced panettone topped with crème fraîche and fresh figs.

TASTE’s take:
Panettone is a bread-like, mushroom-shaped traditional Italian cake and utterly delicious.