Panettone (pronounced
/ˌpænəˈttoʊnə/[1])
is a type of sweet
bread loaf
originally from
Milan (in
Milanese it is called "paneton" Milanese dialect (pronunciation IPA:
/paneˈtuŋ/)),[2]
usually prepared and enjoyed for
Christmas and
New
Year in
Italy,
southeastern France,
Brazil,
Peru,
Malta,
Germany
and
Switzerland, and is one of the symbols of the city of Milan. In
South America, especially in
Brazil,
Argentina,
Uruguay,
Venezuela,
Colombia,
Peru and
Chile, it is a
Christmas dinner staple and in some places replaces
roscón de reyes/bolo rei (King
cake).
It has a
cupola shape, which extends from a
cylindrical base and is usually about 12–15 cm high for a panettone
weighing 1 kg. Other bases may be used, such as an
octagon,
or a
frustum with star section shape more common to
pandoro.
It is made during a long process that involves the curing of the dough,
which is acidic, similar to
sourdough. The
proofing process alone takes several days, giving the cake its
distinctive fluffy characteristics. It contains candied orange, citron,
and lemon
zest, as well as raisins, which are added dry and not soaked. Many
other variations are available such as plain or with chocolate. It is
served in slices, vertically cut, accompanied with sweet hot beverages
or a sweet wine,
such as
Asti or
Moscato d'Asti. In some regions of Italy, it is served with crema
di mascarpone, a cream made from
mascarpone, eggs, sometimes dried or candied fruits, and typically a
sweet liqueur such as
amaretto; if mascarpone cheese is unavailable,
zabaione is sometimes used as a substitute.
Efforts are under way to obtain
Protected Designation of Origin and
Denominazione di origine controllata status for this product, but,
as of late 2008, this had not occurred.[3]
Italian Agriculture Minister
Paolo De Castro was looking at ways to protect the real Italian
cakes from growing competition in Latin America and whether they can
take action at the
World Trade Organization.
History
Traditional packaging of Panettone
In the early 20th century, two enterprising Milanese bakers began to
produce panettone in large quantities in the rest of Italy. In 1919,
Angelo Motta started producing his eponymous brand of cakes. It was
also Motta who revolutionised the traditional panettone by giving it its
tall domed shape by making the dough rise three times, or almost 20
hours, before cooking, giving it its now-familiar light texture. The
recipe was adapted shortly after by another baker, Gioacchino Alemagna,
around 1925, who also gave his name to a popular brand that still exists
today. The stiff competition between the two that then ensued led to
industrial production of the cake.
Nestlé
took over the brands together in the late 1990s, but Bauli,[4]
an Italian bakery company based in
Verona,
has acquired Motta and Alemagna from Nestlé.[5]
As a result of the fierce competition, by the end of World War II,
panettone was cheap enough for anyone and soon became the country's
leading Christmas sweet. Northern Italian
immigrants to
Argentina and
Brazil
also brought their love of panettone, and panettone is enjoyed for
Christmas with
hot cocoa or liquor during the holiday season, which became a
mainstream tradition in those countries. In some places, it replaces the
King
cake.
In Argentina, Brazil,
Chile
(see:
Pan de Pascua),
Ecuador,
Colombia,
Venezuela,
Bolivia,
and Peru
(known in Spanish as "Panetón" or "Pan Dulce"). Peru's Antonio
D'Onofrio, son of immigrants hailing from
Caserta,
Italy,
spawned his own brand using the Alemagna formula, which he licensed
along with the packaging style. This brand is now also owned by
Nestlé
and exported throughout Latin America. In recent years, Brazilian
Panettone have increased in quality and in popularity due to their low
cost and abundance.
Although panettone is quintessentially Milanese, it is more popular
today in central and southern Italy, which accounts for 55% of sales,
than in the Milan region in the north, with 45% of sales. Italian bakers
produce some 117 million panettone and
pandoro
cakes every Christmas — worth 579 million euros.[6]
Origins
In Italy the panettone comes with an often varied history, but one
that invariably states that its birthplace is in Milan. The word
"panettone" derives from the Italian word "panetto", a small loaf cake.
The augmentative Italian suffix "-one" (pronounced "o-neh") changes the
meaning to "large cake".
The origins of this cake appear to be ancient, dating back to the
Roman Empire, when ancient Romans sweetened a type of
leavened cake with
honey.
Throughout the ages this "tall, leavened fruitcake" makes cameo
appearances in the arts: It is shown in a sixteenth-century painting by
Pieter Brueghel the Elder and is possibly mentioned in a
contemporary recipe book written by
Bartolomeo Scappi, personal chef to
popes and
emperors during the time of
Charles V. The first recorded association of Panettone with
Christmas can be found in the writings of 18th century
illuminist
Pietro Verri. He refers to it as "Pane di Tono" (luxury
cake).
Legends
Though the etymology of the word 'panettone' is rather mundane, three
more complex and fanciful folk etymologies have arisen.[7]
It is also thought that one of the ecclesiastical brothers, Fr. Antonio,
who always wore the proper hat, was fond of this Pane. The
ecclesiastical hat Pane Tone was later adopted as the shape, which gave
rise to Panettone. This derivation received credence and acceptability
at the turn of the century, and is likely to be the foreunner of the
more recent Christmas cake.[citation
needed] Gianrian Carli in "Il Caffe" makes passing
reference to Panettone in 1850 in discussion with Pietro Verri and
alludes to a clerical hat. Prof. S Reynders. Dipartimento di Scienze del
Linguaggio, Università Ca'Foscari(1987)
One suggests that the word derives from the Milanese, "pan del ton,"
meaning "cake of luxury."
Another states that a 15th-century legend from Milan gives the
invention to the nobleman
falconer Ughetto Atellani, who loved Adalgisa, the daughter of a
poor baker named Toni. To help her, the nobleman disguised himself as a
baker and invented a rich cake to which he added flour and yeast,
butter, eggs, dried raisins, and candied lemon and orange peel.[citation
needed]
The duke of Milan,
Ludovico il Moro Sforza (1452–1508), agreed to the marriage, which
was held in the presence of
Leonardo da Vinci, and encouraged the launch of the new cake-like
cake: Pan de Toni (or Toni's cake).
Another legend credits the cake's being invented in the court of the
Sforzas, but with the following story:
It was Christmas and the court cook had no dessert to offer. So the
guests were given a sweet bread baked by a mere kitchen boy, called
Toni, which won general praise. Rather than steal the praise for
himself, the cook congratulated his assistant and named it after him.
The third, says that the invention was the work of sister Ughetta,
which in Milanese means raisins.