Not a fan of panettone? Maybe you just haven’t met the right one

Before industrialisation gave way to mass production, panettone was a luxury regional Milanese speciality made for the holidays with obsessive attention to detail. Although its origin is unknown, it is widely agreed that panettone was first made in Milan as early as the 15th century. According to Smithsonian Magazine, panettone wasn’t always just a Christmas speciality but a feast day pastry involving ingredients that were hard to come by.

Back then, bread was made with cheaper grains like spelt and rye, but the first panettone was made entirely from expensive wheat flour. Additions like candied citrus peel would have had to come from hundreds of miles away, perhaps even beyond the borders of modern-day Italy, which essentially meant that panettone wasn’t made by the average home baker.

Industrialisation eventually yielded dry, bland panettones made from cheaper ingredients like powdered milk and processed fruit. It was probably this diaspora that migrated through my desk over the years. But the last decade has seen a revival of artisanal panettone as the internet amplified the voices of bakers and fans with strong opinions about how it should be made and taste.

DON’T DROP THE BABY

For the uninitiated, making panettone is hard work. The process starts with a robust lievito madre (mother dough) that must be kept fed and happy at specific pH levels. This provides the foundation for the slow, precise fermentation of two high-gluten doughs fattened with copious amounts of butter and sugar. Multiple rounds of kneading and leavening ensue before the loaves are baked. Once out of the oven, they are hung upside down to cool and preserve their domed shape and rise.

For bakers, panettone is a cruel mistress — unfeeling and high-maintenance, not to be rushed and never to be kept waiting. Daniele Sperindio, chef-owner of the Michelin-starred Art di Daniele and the man behind my revelatory chocolate panettone, has a kinder analogy