Panettone and its origins

Panettone is one of the symbols of Italian gastronomic tradition, especially during the Christmas season.

It's a leavened dome-shaped sweet enriched with candied orange peel, citron, lemon zest, and raisins. Its name is derived from the Lombard word "panetùn" or "panetòn," which means "large bread" or "luxury bread." But what are the origins and curiosities of this beloved Italian dessert?

The origins of Panettone are shrouded in history and legend. Some sources trace the dessert back to the 15th century at the court of Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. According to one of the most well-known versions, the Sforza family's cook accidentally burned the dessert he was to serve at the Christmas feast and had to turn to the help of a humble kitchen hand named Toni. Toni had prepared a bread with the remaining ingredients for himself: flour, butter, eggs, honey, and raisins. The dessert was a huge success and was named "il pan del Toni," later becoming "Panettone." Another version attributes the invention of the dessert to a nobleman named Ughetto degli Atellani, who fell in love with the daughter of a baker and, to win her over, took a job as an apprentice and created Panettone with premium ingredients.

Other sources connect Panettone to older and more popular traditions. It's said that in Milan, since the Middle Ages, it was customary to consume a "bread of the lords" or "pan de ton" made with wheat flour, butter, sugar, and eggs at Christmas, a privilege reserved for the nobility for the rest of the year. This bread was sliced and distributed by the head of the family to the diners, following the "log ritual," which involved burning a large wooden log on the fire and preserving a part of it for the following year as a wish for prosperity.

The first written recipe for Panettone dates back to 1549 in a cookbook by Cristoforo di Messisbugo, a chef from Ferrara, which lists the ingredients of a dessert typical of the Milanese areas, similar to focaccia, flavored with rosewater. In 1599, a record from the Borromeo College in Pavia mentions "13 large breads" prepared with butter, raisins, and spices for Christmas lunch. The first official definition of Panettone is from 1606, in a Milanese-Italian dictionary, describing it as a "large bread" made for Christmas. In the 1700s, Pietro Verri recounted the log ritual in his "Storia di Milano," while in 1853, Giovanni Felice Luraschi introduced yeast into the dough. In 1854, Giovanni Vialardi, the chef of the House of Savoy, added candied fruits to the recipe, giving rise to the modern Panettone.

Panettone spread throughout Italy and the world thanks to the work of Milanese pastry chefs, such as Angelo Motta, who perfected the leavening technique in 1919 and gave the dessert its dome shape, and Gioacchino Alemagna, who created a softer and lighter variation in 1925. In the 1950s, these two pastry chefs merged into a single company that became a leader in industrial Panettone production. Today, Panettone is a product of excellence in Italian pastry making, protected by regulations that define its ingredients and production methods.

Panettone lends itself to various variations and reinterpretations, both in ingredient selection and serving method. In addition to the classic version with candied fruits and raisins, there are variations with chocolate, cream, dried fruit, candied chestnuts, pistachio, and other delicacies. Panettone can be enjoyed on its own or accompanied by sweet beverages such as sparkling wine, Moscato, Vin Santo, or cream-based sauces like mascarpone, custard, cream, or gelato. Leftover Panettone can be repurposed into other desserts such as pudding, trifle, tiramisu, toast, or French toast.

Panettone embodies the history, culture, and creativity of Italian cuisine. It's a dessert that brings families and friends together during the holidays, offering moments of joy and conviviality. It's a dessert that represents Italy to the world with its unique flavor and unmatched quality.