Miniature Panettone Food

MINI PANETTONE

Steps:

• To make the sponge, warm a small bowl by rinsing it with hot water. Pour in warm water, and sprinkle 1 package yeast on it. Let stand until yeast has dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle remaining package yeast over warm milk. Let stand until dissolved.
• Beat together sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix in yeast-milk mixture. Add sponge, and stir until well incorporated.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and remaining 3 1/2 cups flour until crumbly. Slowly pour in egg mixture, and beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until dough is elastic-looking and long strands form. Beat in fruit and zests. Turn dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled, 2 to 3 hours.
• Fold down tops of bags to form a 3-inch cuff. Brush inside and out with melted butter.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times to deflate. Divide dough into three pieces. Roll each into a ball, and drop into prepared bags. Place bags on a baking sheet about 4 inches apart, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled again, about 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut an X in the top of each loaf with oiled scissors. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and heavy cream to make an egg wash. Brush top of each loaf with egg wash. Place baking sheet in bottom third of oven. After 10 minutes, lower heat to 375 degrees. Bake for 30 more minutes; if tops get too brown while baking, cover with foil. Loaves are done when a wooden skewer inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

MINIATURE PANETTONE

Steps:

• Pour warm water into a small bowl; sprinkle with 1 package yeast. Using a fork, stir in yeast until dissolved; let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup flour; cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Dice whole, dried fruits and set aside.
• Pour warm milk into large bowl of electric mixer. Sprinkle remaining package of yeast over milk; stir together with a fork until dissolved. Let stand until yeast is foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In another mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, 2 egg yolks, and vanilla. Add to the yeast-milk mixture, along with the yeast-water mixture.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cold butter and remaining 3 3/4 cups flour on medium speed until crumbly. Slowly add egg mixture; beat on high until dough is elastic-looking and long strands have formed, about 5 minutes. Add dried fruits and zests, and beat until combined. Turn dough into buttered bowl; cover with plastic; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees with the rack on the bottom. Generously butter 25 3 1/2-ounce baba au rhum molds; set aside. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead a few times to deflate. Divide into 25 3-inch-diameter balls. Place balls into molds; gently press dough to fill slightly more than 3/4 of molds. Transfer molds to baking pan; cover loosely with buttered plastic. Let stand in warm place to rise until dough reaches rims, about 45 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining yolk and cream to make an egg wash. Remove plastic from molds; brush tops with egg wash. Bake 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake until tops brown, 20 minutes. If too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Cool on wire rack. Invert molds; dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

MINI PANETTONE

Steps:

• Beat the eggs and yolk with the vanilla. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add the warm milk and egg mixture, then beat to a very soft, sticky dough with a wooden spoon. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
• Drop large muffin wraps into 10 clean, 200g size cans (or use a muffin tray), or line them carefully with baking parchment so that the paper comes well above the cans to make a collar.
• Blend the butter, fruit and peel into the risen dough, preferably with your hands. Cut into 10 equal pieces and drop a piece into each prepared can. Cover again and leave until they are very well risen.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Gently brush the panettone with milk, scatter over the almonds and bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Eat within 3 days, or freeze for up to 6 weeks.