But it wasn’t until the 20th-century that the tradition really started to take hold after a pair of Milanese bakers decided to spread the sweet joy to the rest of Italy by producing larger quantities to export. Giving it the iconic raised domed shape by making it rise three times over 20 hours, they thus hooked us forevermore. Today, the Italians produce 117 million panettone and pandoro (the latter comes from Verona and is similar but does not contain fruit) cakes every Christmas.
So, amidst all that choice, where to start? Here we round up our favourites and leave you with this nugget: Italians traditionally eat their panettone at breakfast with a coffee, meaning that you now officially have license to start the day with cake. Proof, if any were needed, that the Italians really do know how to live.
Freight Store
Freight, in the lovely market town of Lewes, East Sussex, is worth a visit all year round, its exquisite in-house designed collection, along with the odd antique, drawing the aesthetically minded into a dream of sublime restraint and elevated simplicity. Amongst its collection, we especially love its Christmas panettone, £28, which is made with stoneground wheat, Calabrian orange skins harvested and peeled by hand, Madagascan vanilla, honey obtained from the nectar of acacia flowers collected exclusively by bees in the woods of the Tuscan hills, sea salt and Australian Corone raisins – all presented in a beautiful paper wrap and tied up with red string. Perfetto.
Sous Chef
We trust Sous Chef with all matters culinary, its edits of the best ingredients, gifts and tableware invariably indispensable. It stands to reason, then, that it should stock a darn good panettone, £24.99. As they say, ‘The Sous Chef Milano panettone is a product of decades of panettone expertise. The Sous Chef Milano panettone is produced by a family of bakers in the north of Italy. Each panettone should be prized for its extraordinary heritage and flavour. This traditional classic panettone is a light and golden cake, rich with butter and sweet with dried citrus fruit.’ And isn’t the beribboned packaging pretty?
Flamigni
We adore the classic recipe, but sometimes a twist can be a beautiful thing too. This Sugar Iced Dark Chocolate & Fig Panettone, £27.99, first transports us to the Med with its hunks of dried fig and then makes the whole thing irresistibly indulgent with dark chocolate and finally tops it off with hazelnut and bitter almond-flavoured frosting for frangipane-like crunchy topping. Utterly divine, as is its label.
Sacla
Call us superficial, but we’re absolutely not above being seduced into a panettone purchase by the means of a really good tin. Good thing, then, that what’s on the inside is every bit as special as what’s on the outside. An absolute classic, the Chiostro di Sarrono – the Cloisters of Saronno – is unstinting on the candied orange and raisons, and is as good eaten as seen or toasted and buttered for a teatime treat.
The River Café
If, decoratively speaking, you prefer to eschew the traditional at Christmas and instead mark it with colours that pop pleasingly, then The River Café’s Gift Box, containing panettone and a bottle of Franciacorta, £100, is exactly the thing. But while the packaging may be a modernist’s dream, then what’s inside is all adherence to classic baking. In fact, as they say of their panettone, ‘Ours comes from Pastificio Gentile in Gragnano, considered Italy’s best Panettone. Founded in 1876, the maker imbeds this moist, yeasted holiday bread with pieces of dried fruit. And to drink with it, a bottle of Bellavista Franciacorta, Northern Italy’s celebrated sparkling wine.’ An absolutely show-stopping gift for a host.
Vallebona
Chic and smart of package, Vallebona’s Traditional Panettone In Box, £20, is made by a family company based in Turin, whose secret recipe has been passed down the generations. We can’t tell you, therefore, what the magic ingredient is, but we do know that it is beautifully moist and horribly moreish.
Fortnum & Mason
Admittedly, this is a Pandoro Cake, £44.95, as opposed to a panettone. It is, however, wholly delicious thanks to its 100 per cent natural fermentation technique and a long, intricate manufacturing method. If you do things the Italian way, there will be no finer way to break Christmas fasts than with this and a good coffee.
Breramilano 1930
Who could fail to fall in love with this beautiful hat box containing a classic panettone made to a recipe first created in 1930 by two Milanese confectionary masters, Mr. Agostino Panigada and Mr. Giovanni Cova. It was delicious then, and it is delicious now.
Birley Bakery
Executive pastry chef at Birley Bakery, Vincent Zanardi, and his head baker, Eshak Belabed, have devised an exceptionally delicious festive menu, some recipes of which have taken five years to perfect. They say, ‘All the bread and cakes at the bakery are made from exceptional ingredients, these sourced from around the globe: the wheat flour comes from an artisanal farmer in Burgundy, the sea salt from La Guérande in Brittany, the plump almonds from Valencia, and the thick dark honey from hives in Bermondsey. A special reserve of bitter chocolate, created specifically for Birley, and mixed with cacao beans from the Philippines, forms the basis of our range of chocolates.’ The Small Triple Chocolate Panettone, £22, is, therefore, amongst the best money can buy – at the time of writing, it had not yet gone live on the site, so watch this space.
By Nancy Alsop
November 2023
