Panettone

Rita~'s Note:

MOIST Panettone dotted with raisins and marzipan. The long rise creates a fermentation giving this bread flavor. This Moist sweet dough stays fresh a long time. Just wrap it snuggled in foil and then plastic wrap. Up to 1 week. Make great french toast and or bread pudding. This is a take off Jim Lahey's dough. he got me to make it! I hope you get to make it as well. So worth it!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 cup raisins
• ¼ cup rum
• 1 cup water (divided)
• 3 ¾ cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ vanilla bean , halved and split making 4 pieces
• 4 large eggs , room temperature
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 12 tablespoons butter , softened
• 1 tablespoon butter , melted
• 2 ½ ounces marzipan
• 1 tablespoon butter , well chilled

Directions:

1. Soak raisins in rum and 2 tablespoons hot water till plump.
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt, yeast, zest and vanilla bean in mixer on low speed until combined.
3. Whisk the eggs, remaining water and honey together.
4. With mixer at low speed pour in egg mixer into the flour mixture. Increase speed to medium-low to combine.
5. Add 12 tablespoons butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing till all is incorporated increasing speed to med-high. Mix for 8-10 minutes till dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Meanwhile drain raisins and combine with melted butter.
7. Crumble marzipan.
8. Stir in the raisins and marzipan.
9. Place dough including vanilla bean in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let rise till triple in volume about 12-15 hours in a draft free place. Oven is perfect for this. Overnight is ideal.
10. Punch down and remove bean be sure to remove any of the seeds and mix into the dough, discarding the pods.
11. On a work surface or sil pad dusted with flour place the dough. Dust the dough. Fold the edges into the center placing seam side down into a panettone mold, clean and dried generously buttered coffee can or a generously buttered bundt pan. Cover with a damp linen towel. NO terry towels! Let rise in a warm draft free spot for 5 hours.
12. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack lower 3rd of oven.
13. Place mold on a cookie sheet pan. Using a sharp knife mark the raised dough with an X one inch deep and place the chilled butter into it.
14. Bake till toothpick comes out slightly moist NOT wet. About 1 hour at this point it should be very dark.
15. Cool completely before cutting.