Why does Panettone last so long?
Italy’s favourite festive sweet bread lasts around 45 days if unopened due to the delicious butter content which ensures the dough stays softer for longer. The filling being traditionally dried fruit and candied orange/lemon peel also have much longer conservation times in comparison to other fillings such as fresh fruit or cream which contributes to this Christmas sweet treat lasting for a while! However, since panettone are quite large, it can last in the pantry for a while, and to avoid throwing it away when its past its freshest moment, it’s useful to know several ways you can transform this magical bread into other gastronomic creations!
1) Toasted & Topped
Take a generous slice of panettone, grill in the oven on both sides and either slather with chocolate hazelnut spread made with notoriously rich and delicious Piemontese hazelnuts.
Alternatively spread a indulgent spoonful of nut butter onto the toasted panettone, such as cashew or almond, topped with blueberries or ripe figs. *Chef’s tip: why not try roasting the figs beforehand sprinkled with a little cinnamon sugar to give a slightly caramelised crunch. Scatter a few toasted almonds to complete this simple, yet delicious Christmassy snack.
2) Panettone French Toast with homemade Cinnamon Gelato
Another absolute festive winner! Soak the leftover panettone in your favourite French toast mixture, fry until crisp and golden and serve with homemade cinnamon gelato. If you’d like to make things even simpler, drizzle with maple syrup and a dollop of freshly whipped cream! Buonissimo!
3) Panettone Tiramisu
What’s better than one Italian dessert? Two Italian desserts, of course! Replacing the sponge fingers with lengths of panettone is an innovative way of using up your Italian sweet bread whilst simultaneously creating a whole new dessert! Simply swap in the panettone to your favourite tiramisu recipe and watch the delight shine from your lucky guests as they impatiently ask you what your secret ingredient is!
4) Panettone Rum Baba
Rum baba or baba au rhum in French, are perfect little yeast-based cakes from the Lorraine region in France, saturated in a sweet rum-based syrup and sometimes come generously filled with vanilla Chantilly cream or crème patissière. To put an Italian twist on this French classic, follow this simple rum syrup recipe to drizzle on top of slightly warmed panettone:
(For 4 slices of panettone)
Ingredients
For the Syrup
- 230ml water
- 100g white sugar
- 80 ml dark rum (spiced rum is also delicious!)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean pasta
For the Cream
- 150 ml double cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Turn on the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and heat the panettone until warm but still slightly soft on the inside. In a small saucepan, heat the water and the sugar on a medium heat and allow to simmer and reduce until it begins to slightly thicken. Be careful not to set the heat too high and burn the sugar.
- Once it is a thicker consistency, stir in the rum and vanilla bean paste. Take off the heat and allow to cool
- Using a handheld or standing mixer, whip the cream and vanilla extract until soft peaks are formed.
- Pour the syrup over the warm panettone and liberally top with cream. Buon appetite!
5) Panettone Croutons
This may seem odd at first glance, however panettone croutons paired with a fennel and rocket salad, tossed with a mixture of sweet grapes and formaggio di capra or goats cheese is a match made in Christmas heaven! Simply dice your leftover panettone into 1-2 cm cubes, toss in one tablespoon of olive oil and bake in the oven until golden (180 for around 10-12 minutes). Enjoy!
Do you wish to make your very own panettone in order to try your hand at some of these culinary creations? Check out our rich and delicious panettone recipe!
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