Made during Easter and Christmas and this stuff is great, actually very good to eat anytime of the year. I make larger batches of it and give it in the #6 paper bags I bake it in as gifts. Great sliced, but better toasted and buttered with some scrambled eggs...
I worked in a Sicilian place where we used small paper bags as baking containers: we'd take #6 paper bags (the kind you buy loose candy in at the store), fold the tops over so they were about half their original size and brush the insides with melted butter. We'd let the dough rise in these buttered bags and bake them bag and all in the oven. Actually that's how we sold them too, in the bag. Simply peel the bag away from the pannetone at service time. ENJOY
mis en place:
1 cup tepid water
2 packages dry yeast
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sifted sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup candied fruit
1/4 cup raisins soaked in Jack Daniels
1 cup chopped nuts (I like using slivered almonds and macadamia nuts)
1 cup slivered almongs (for garnishing tops)
Preparation:
in a medium bowl take 1 cup tepid water and add dry yeast, then fold in the 1 cup flour, combine well. Cover and set aside in a warm draft free place. This is your SPONGE.
Next in your mixer bowl cream butter, then add sugar and cream butter and sugar. Then add eggs one at a time and allow mixer to cream each egg into mixture well. Next add salt and lemon zest. When sponge has doubled in volume add it to mixer bowl and then slowly add and beat in bits the 3 1/2 cups flour. Now add the candied fruit, raisins and the chopped nuts. Cover mixer bowl and let rest in a warm draft free location about 2 hours or until dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough and break into 2 prebuttered paper bags that are on a large sheet pan (see above intro). Let rest covered about 1 hour or until doubled. Now brush tops of risen dough with a little water, sprinkle on about 1/2 cup slivered almonds and 2 Tbls sugar on each loaf top.
Slide in the sheet pan/loaves into preheated 350 degree oven. Bake about 1/2 hour or until loaves are golden brown on top and make hollow sound when thumped on bottom. Let rest and cool 2 to 3 hours before slicing.
