Panettone Holiday Cookies Food

HOLIDAY PANETTONE

Steps:

• Empty the Holiday Panettone mix (recipe follows) into a bowl. Heat 1 cup whole milk, 1 stick butter, 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest to 120 degrees in a saucepan; stir into the mix. Mix in 2 lightly beaten eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans or two empty 10-ounce coffee cans and line with parchment paper. Add the dough; cover and let rise 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool before slicing.

PANETTONE I

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine yeast, water and sugar. Cover and let stand 10 minutes, or until foamy. Add eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough forms into a manageable ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary, until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. (May need up to 5 cups flour.) Place dough in a large, lightly pan-sprayed bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and spray a round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, toss dried fruit with confectioners' sugar. Punch down dough in bowl, transfer to floured surface, and knead in the fruit.
• Form dough into a ball, place in prepared cake pan, cover loosely with dish towel, and let rise 30 minutes. (Loaf will rise above the pan sides.) Brush with melted butter, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 10 wedges.

PANETTONE WITH CANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Make biga:
• In bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook, combine 1/3 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) and sugar. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add flour and mix at low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until tripled in volume, about 3 hours. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Stir down starter, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Start dough:
• In small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) and yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Attach bowl containing biga to standing mixer fitted with dough hook, pour in yeast mixture, and mix at low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, sugar, and flour and mix at medium speed until shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until tripled in volume, about 3 hours.
• Finish dough and bake bread:
• Attach bowl containing dough to standing mixer fitted with dough hook and add flour, egg yolks, milk, honey, 1/4 cup sugar, and 10 tablespoons butter. Mix at medium speed until blended, about 3 minutes, then add salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Mix at medium speed until well blended, about 5 minutes more.
• With mixer running, add remaining 10 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at time. (Dough will become smooth and shiny and will pull away from sides of bowl.) Add candied fruit and raisins and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Form dough into ball and transfer to large bowl. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (8-inch) or 8 (3 1/2-inch) paper panettone molds. Punch down dough, then turn out onto work surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces and form each into ball. (If using small molds, divide dough into 8 small balls.) Place 1 ball in each mold. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place until dough has risen past the rim and springs back when poked, about 1 hour.
• Bake until golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. To cool, stick 2 skewers through base of each mold and suspend bread upside down by resting skewers on 2 containers taller than bread. (This helps keep bread from deflating during cooling.)
• When loaves are cool, wrap well in plastic wrap, then in parchment or tissue paper. Store at room temperature.

PANETTONE HOLIDAY DRESSING

Steps:

• Cut the panettone into 3/4-inch squares and place in large bowl.
• Melt half of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and continue to cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.
• Take off the heat and add half the sage; season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sage butter over the bread and toss gently but swiftly.
• Spread out on 2 cookie sheets and place in a 350°F oven until light brown, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place back into the bowl.
• Meanwhile, place the dried fruit in a large bowl; add boiling water to cover and then set aside for at least 10 minutes; this will plump and soften the fruit for cooking. Drain fruit once plumped.
• Raise the oven temperature to 375°F.
• Melt the remaining butter and add onion, celery, and carrot.
• Saute on medium-low heat until soft.
• Add dried fruit and remaining sage; toss into cooled croutons.
• Gently toss and add chicken broth to moisten; add more broth if you like a softer stuffing.
• Stir in beaten eggs; adjust salt and pepper.
• Turn out into an oven-proof casserole and bake uncovered until golden brown on top, about 40 minutes.