Panettone is a traditional Italian sweet bread recipe.

It is eaten year round, but is especially popular during the holidays.

Prep time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 envelopes dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped

Directions:
Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let stand until it begins to rise and foam. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, salt and allspice. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture and gradually mix in the flour. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 30-45 minutes in a lukewarm oven.

Stir the dough down. Add the raisins, candied fruit, almonds and lemon peel. Knead until well mixed. Divide the dough into 4-5 equal parts. Place in well greased coffee tins and let rise for 30-40 minutes until nearly to the top of the tins.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Bake for 45-50 minutes in preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before removing the panetone from the tins. Let cool and wrap in plastic wrap or tin foil.

Make mini heart shaped breads or cakes with this wonderful heart shaped baking pan. Nordic Ware Mini Heart Baking Pan

• If you don't like candied fruit, omit it and substitute more raisins. It will still taste great but won't be the traditional Italian bread.
• Make sure the water that you add to the yeast is really just lukewarm. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cool and it won't activate the yeast.

The recipe makes one large panetone bread.