Italian Panettone Bread

Panettone is the towering, dome-shaped Christmas bread from Milan, and traditionally it takes days of complicated proofing and special pan-baking to produce. This bread machine version cuts those steps down to dump-and-press: milk, egg, honey, bread flour, applesauce, crushed star anise, salt, yeast, and a mix of dried fruit (raisins, currants, candied citron) all go in together. The applesauce replaces the butter that traditional panettone recipes call for, giving you a slightly lighter loaf.

The star anise is the unusual ingredient that signals you are in panettone territory rather than ordinary raisin bread. Just a small amount perfumes the entire loaf with a faintly licorice-floral note that pairs beautifully with the candied citron. The result is a sweetly aromatic Christmas bread that slices clean and toasts beautifully for breakfast through the holidays.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the dried fruit at the fruit-and-nut beep if your machine has one. Tossing them in at the start leaves them mashed into the dough rather than visible whole.
• Crush the star anise pods or seeds finely before adding. Big chunks are unpleasant to bite into.
• Use real candied citron, not citron extract or peel. The chewy texture and bittersweet flavor are different.
• Use the sweet or basic white cycle, not whole wheat or fast bake. Panettone needs the longer rise for that signature airy texture.
• Cool the finished loaf upside down on a rack to keep the dome from collapsing as it cools.

Variations

• Substitute dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots for the candied citron if citron is hard to find.
• Add the grated zest of an orange and a lemon for the classic Milanese citrus aroma.
• Brush the warm loaf with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar for a sweeter finish.