What is Panettone? (& How in the World Do You Pronounce It?)

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Panettone is an iconic Italian sweet bread that looks like a tall cake. Panettone is delicious year-round, but it is traditionally served at Christmas and New Year’s. Italian bakeries bake thousands of panettone each holiday season.

What is Panettone and How is it Made?

Panettone is an Italian sourdough yeast-leavened sweet bread from Milan, Italy. The sweet bread’s name is derived from pan del Ton, Italian for “Toni’s bread.” It is traditionally made with rum-soaked raisins and citron. 

This Italian pastry has been eaten since the Middle Ages. True panettone is authenticated by the Italian government to ensure it’s made the traditional way with 16% butter and 20% candied fruit.

Ubiquitous at Christmastime, this iconic Italian dessert takes several days to make. First, the dough is cured and then it is proofed for two to three days. Then, dried citrus fruits and raisins are added. The result post-baking is a light and fluffy cylindrical sweet bread with a domed shape that is taller than its width. 

Panettone is not to be confused with pandoro. Pandoro is an Italian sweet bread from Verona that resembles the Italian Alps in shape and look. Pandoro is a tall, eight-pointed star-shaped cake dusted with icing sugar.

How to Eat Panettone

Panettone is often sold festively wrapped in cellophane or in a box. First, unbox and unwrap the bread. The round pastry typically has a paper wrapper covering its sides. Use a serrated knife — the same you would use to cut bread — to cut the loaf. 

Start from the center and slice like you would a piece of pie. It can be tricky to cut panettone, so aim for tall, thin, triangular slices. It may be easier to cut when the paper liner is still on it. Be sure to remove the paper before serving. 

Panettone is traditionally served alone as a dessert with a glass of sweet wine. It can also be served with mascarpone, crème anglaise, or Nutella. Many Italians enjoy a slice of panettone as a snack and even toasted panettone for breakfast during the holidays. Wrap up any leftovers to keep the air out. When stored properly panettone can stay moist and fresh for at least one month.

How to Pronounce Panettone

Panettone is a four-syllable Italian word. Panettone is pronounced pan-net-TOW-neh, with the emphasis on the third syllable.

This article originally appeared on Goldbelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org

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Why Was Fruitcake Outlawed? ( & Why Do People Eat Fruitcake on Christmas?)

Why Was Fruitcake Outlawed? ( & Why Do People Eat Fruitcake on Christmas?)

Once one of the most popular cakes around, fruitcake, a dense bread-like cake studded with candied fruits, has become a national joke in the US., many calling it one of the worst holiday gifts. We have the late talk show host Johnny Carson to thank for the degradation of this delicious cake that has become, for many, a gag holiday gift.

The once beloved holiday cake was mocked for its heftiness and indestructibility many times on Carson’s eponymous show. He famously opined “The worst Christmas gift is fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.”

But the joke is actually on those who pass up the opportunity to indulge in this sweet cake made with dried or candied fruits and, oftentimes, soaked in spirits. While this cake is most popular at Christmas time, we love to indulge in a slice anytime of year. Thanks to fruitcake‘s long shelf life, we can! Here’s everything you need to know about fruitcake.

Goldbelly

Fruitcake has been enjoyed for centuries. Fruitcake was first referenced in ancient Roman archives and later spread to other European countries. This Bundt, rectangular, or log-shaped cake didn’t gain popularity in the U.S. until the 16th century. Once mail order fruitcakes became a thing in the early 20th century, the fruitcake became the go-to holiday gift.

Goldbelly

Fruitcake doesn’t require refrigeration. It’s shelf-stable and lasts a long time, which made it a popular treat to eat prior to the invention of refrigeration. It was so loved that compressed bitesize cubes of fruitcake were served to astronauts during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. 

The fruitcake fell out of favor as companies began mass producing mail order versions and boxed cake mixes were introduced in the mid-20th century. Comedians making fun of it only added to the dislike for the cake.

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Fruitcake tastes like a fruity, nutty cake often with a hint of liqueur. Some fruitcakes, like those made in the South, are not soaked in liquor. Sometimes, it has faint flavors of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and/or nutmeg. 

It is a moist and rich cake with a soft mouthfeel and the neon-colored candied or dried fruits are satisfyingly chewy. Some fruitcakes are topped with powdered sugar or icing, which adds an extra bit of sweetness.

Goldbelly

Fruitcake was outlawed in the 17th century after the English Civil War because Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell deemed the fruitcake to be “sinfully rich” and overly indulgent. This was overturned a couple of decades later.

Natalia Pogodina / iStock

People eat fruitcake on Christmas because it has been a European tradition for centuries that was later adopted in the US. Fruitcake was a year-round treat until the cost of ingredients skyrocketed in the 17th and 18th centuries. Since the cakes cost so much to make, they were reserved for special occasions like weddings and Christmas, a tradition that endures today.

The British commonly eat fruitcake, or, as they refer to it, Christmas pudding, during the Christmas season. In Australia and England, wedding cakes are often fruitcakes.

This article originally appeared on goldbelly.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org

Goldbelly

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