Almost everyone knows the history of classic Panettone, prince who dominates the Christmas table.
How was born the artisan Panettone of Milan, because it was born and who was the first to combine the right ingredients are known information.
But there are other questions that come to mind to shed light on the last mysteries that remain to be revealed on the leavened most loved and known in the world.
What we want to know today is:
"Who holds the perfect recipe for Artisanal Panettone?"
This question does not have a simple answer and perhaps there is no right answer for a number of reasons that we will see.
The first thing to consider is that today the Artisan Panettone is no longer a second level seasonal dessert but has acquired, over the years,
thanks to the greatest leaven masters, a unique importance. It became the dessert par excellence, the most made leavened by confectioners, bakers,
cooks and housewives. In short, everyone wants to make a homemade panettone.
But how do you make an excellent panettone?
It seems paradoxical but the ingredients needed to make this yeast are very few; water, a certain amount of flour,
eggs, butter, sugar, raisins, brewer’s yeast, and flavorings according to taste. What is not at all simple is how it is achieved.
Every leavening master has his own recipe for panettone, his own way of inserting ingredients and processing them.
Is that the secret? A mother yeast that has a long history of refreshments?
We also have the Panettone di Sal de Riso method. Among the most beloved confectioners, Salvatore De Riso, King of lemon delights,
and back from winning the Panettone World Championship 2021 for its artisanal panettone.
He focuses on two things in particular: the temperatures of each ingredient, and the choice of the same.
Most of the ingredients, in fact, come from its beloved territory, the Amalfi Coast:
lemons, butter, oranges, honey, all products that release unique aromas and flavors.
Maybe then the secret is the temperatures? Or the intense aromas of a territory?
Last but not least, we have the traditional Panettone by Iginio Massari with two phases of dough: his careful study of the
ingredients and mills from which the flour arrives, makes us understand how much the climate affects the leaven and explains well its stop
belief that absolutely must not skimp on the raw material.
As he himself says, "the constant search for the best value for money can only be at the expense of true quality."
So is this the real secret of the perfect recipe for artisanal Panettone? Study of ingredients from origin to quality?
Probably we will never know, maybe it is a mix of these considerations, maybe there is no real secret of a perfect recipe but only the taste
staff of those who buy this product. The truth in our opinion is simply to prefer handmade products, made with selected ingredients and the
care with which it is made a homemade Panettone. We have mentioned only some of the major leavening masters but the list is long and varied. What is certain is that
each has its own method that follows with scrupulous dedication and does it to give the final customer a taste experience that will remember forever.
Our pastry chefs make their Panettone with different methods but there is only one thing that unites them all:
Artisan Panettone must be made with "The Mother Yeast"!
Mother yeast, sour dough, mother dough, this yeast is called in various ways, what is it
certainly is the fact that it is very simple to make and needs very few ingredients,
but lots of patience. The classic recipe for making sourdough is the one with only
water and flour in which bacteria and lactic ferments develop thanks to the production
of carbon dioxide, thus allowing a natural rising.
Today we propose an additional version of panettone of another
great master of leavening: Gabriele Bonci.
How to make at home "The Sourdough"
The ingredients are:
100 g of Manitoba flour
50 g of flour 0
120 g of water
50 g of raisin
The Start - Start by washing the raisins with hot water to remove dust and paraffin. Then pass the raisins in a bowl adding the 50 g of water
and leave to soak for 20 minutes, after this time blend the mixture.
At this point we add both flours and mix everything well, then transfer the mixture to the glass jar possibly narrow and long for
promote leavening. Cover with a damp gauze and fix it with an elastic to hold it firmly, leave the jar at room temperature for 48 hours.
First refreshment - After 48 hours our starter is ready for the first refreshment and we do it with:
100 g of Manitoba flour
50 g of flour 0
75 g of water
150 g of starter
We put 150 g of our starter in a bowl to which we add flour and water and mix the mixture with a spoon, being careful to clean the bowl well from the flours until you
get a smooth dough. We put the contents back in our glass jar previously rinsed with warm water without the use of any detergent and leave it at room temperature
for 31 days refreshing it every 48 hours with the same procedure.
The last refreshment - After 31 days our yeast is ready to make its last refreshment.
The process and the quantities will always be the same with the only difference that after mixing the dough, and be sure to have obtained a smooth shape
and homogeneous, we will have to make two cross-cuts on our dough. Refreshed the yeast Stemiamolo in a bowl inside a tea towel covering it
totally but not hermetically.
Leave for 3 hours at room temperature, it will be ripe and usable when its volume triples.
Refrigerate and cool every 4-5 days.
Now you are ready to make large leavened and if you have a pastry shop, an oven or a pizzeria here are the products for you!
Large leavened like Panettone and Colombe, Baked cakes, Pizzas and focaccia.
