Panettone Fit for a Prince

By Robert Wemischner

Sponsored by 

If CK Flannigan, pastry chef owner of Prince Panettone, based in Tampa (FL), was looking for a challenge in the world of baking, he certainly found it and has worked with pleasure in mastering an Italian classic, only very limitedly produced in the U.S. If you ask him why he chose this special rich yeasted product, he says: “It was something that I had seen rarely in the U.S. The personal reward of making something so challenging and perfecting it compels me to pay attention to each step of the two- to three-day long process, from building a strong lievito madre (levain) to making the first dough (primo impasto) and then the second (secondo impasto) before combining them and slowly fermenting the dough. Then there is the reward of a well-proofed dough, shaped nicely and then baked in the signature dome-shaped loaves.”  

Beautifully golden brown, rich with eggs and butter and CK’s own personal favorite inclusion, candied lemon, his panettone is an edible symbol of one man’s delicious obsession. “There is something mysterious and magnetic about this singular product that from a technical standpoint should not be possible,” he says. “Despite its lavish use of butter and eggs, it is light and airy yet rich, with a large open crumb.”  But on the road to success, he has had his failures when attempting to master this challenge of all challenges. “It was the failures that made it fun because you are learning so much along the way,” he says. “And when you finally get the thing that you want, the payoff is indescribable.”

When he set out to make his version of a classic, he insisted on using only top-quality ingredients including specially milled flour imported from Italy. “Just as Molino Pasini takes pride in the high-protein finely milled flour they produce for this specific use, the high quality of the other ingredients I use affects the final product,” he explains. “There’s no compromising in the use of quality unsalted butter and fresh eggs. Key though is the Tahitian Gold vanilla bean powder which underlines the other flavors in the dough so perfectly. I can’t think of anything that vanilla does not complement, whether it’s lemon, passionfruit, hazelnuts or pistachios. It’s always in the background but still very present. It’s like using salt. It elevates the flavor of the finished product in a unique, yet hard-to-describe, way.” 

Working for three years with Roy Schwartzapfel, chef-owner of From Roy (South San Francisco), the luxury and highly-specialized bakery which has paved the way for others to enter this rarefied panettone-making arena, CK was hooked on both the process and the product and has continued paving his own way, focusing on one product with a number of flavor variations. “A new and popular version features a perfect trio of flavors: coffee, caramel and chocolate underlined by the flavor of vanilla, a flavor appropriate for all seasons and all reasons,” he says. Gently sweet and exceptionally aromatic, CK’s Prince Panettone is poised for continued success. Coupled with a strong commitment to using high quality ingredients, CK takes no shortcuts. His is a line evolving with intentionality and integrity, a respect for the ingredients and for its long, somewhat contested, history. He’s now making some uncontested history of his own. 

For more information about Tahitian Gold’s premium vanilla products and how they can elevate your pastry creations, please contact Noa at [email protected] or call (310) 465-0856

Panettone

By CK Flannigan, Founder, Prince Panettone

Panettone shouldn’t be saved for special occasions; it deserves a place in everyday life. Whether shared or savored alone, it’s a gift, an indulgence, and a testament to what bread can be at its highest level. Inclusions can be traditional – raisins, candied fruit or citrus peel – or modern – chocolate chunks, coffee extract, even rainbow sprinkles.

Yield: 5 loaves at 1050 g each

Notes on the starter: It is recommended to start with a strong and balanced stiff sourdough starter (Lievito Madre, Levain, etc.). Ideally, the starter will be perfectly balanced between lactic and acetic acidities (2 parts lactic, 1 part acetic) and have a hydration between 40-50%. 

Day 1: First Feeding

• 50 g starter
• 100 g 150 g panettone flour, 15%+ protein
• 40-50 g water

1. At the beginning of your baking day, start with the first lievito feeding at a ratio of 1 Lievito : 2 Flour : 0.4-0.5  Water.
2. Mix until fully developed.
3. Proof for about 3.5-4 hours in a proofing chamber set between 82-86°F (28-30°C).
4. After the allotted time, the dough should have increased in volume 2.5-3 times and should have a pH between 4.1 and 4.2.

Day 1: Second Feeding

• 150 g fed lievito (from above)
• 150 g panettone flour, 15%+ protein
• 60-75 g water

1. After 3.5-4 hours and reaching the desired pH, proceed with another feeding, using a  ratio of 1 Lievito : 1 Flour : 0.4-0.5  Water
2. Mix until fully developed.
3. Proof for 2.5-3 hours in a proofing chamber set between 82-86°F (28-30°C).
4. The pH after proofing should be between 4.1 and 4.2. Again, look for a volume increase of 2.5-3 times. 

Day 1 First Dough (Primo Impasto)

• 908.58 g panettone flour, 15%+ protein
• 487 g water
• 263.61 g fed lievito (from above)
• 263.49 g granulated sugar
• 391.60 unsalted butter, softened
• 184.44 g egg yolks

1. Mix the flour, water, and lievito on low speed until a strong gluten mesh is created, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the sugar and mix until the sugar is fully dissolved and the gluten mesh has regained its structure, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the butter and mix until fully developed: about 2 minutes on speed 1, then increasing to speed 2 for another 3-4 minutes. You are looking for a strong gluten window but not too extensible.
4. Slowly drizzle in the egg yolks and mix on speed 1 until fully absorbed.
5. Then increase to speed 2 and mix until fully developed, about 3 minutes. The dough temperature should not exceed 78.8°F (26°C). 
6. Leave to ferment in a proofing chamber set between 75.2-78.8°F (24-26°C) for 14-16 hours or until the first dough has tripled in volume. The pH should be between 5.1 and 5.3. 

Day 2: Final Dough (Secondo Impasto)

• 2498.72 g First Dough (from above)
• 302.86 g panettone flour, 15%+protein
• 12.11 g diastatic malt powder
• 130.83 g water
• 203.22 g egg yolks
• 86.74 g honey
• 233.20 g granulated sugar
• 9.09 g Tahitian Gold® Ground Vanilla Beans
• 48.46 g citrus paste
• 589.66 g unsalted butter, softened
• 20.59 g fine sea salt
• 1114.52 g inclusions

1. Remove the First Dough from the proofing chamber and place it in the refrigerator until the dough’s core temperature reaches about 61°F (16°C). This should take about 1-1.5 hours. 
2. Place the tempered First Dough into the mixer along with the flour, malt, and one-third of the water (ice water, if needed), and mix until a strong gluten mesh has formed, about 15-20 minutes on low to medium speed. 
3. Add one-third of the egg yolks along with the honey, sugar, vanilla bean and citrus paste.
4. Mix on low to medium speed until the gluten mesh is retained and the dough is fully developed, about 4-5 minutes. 
5. Add half of the remaining egg yolks and half of the remaining water (ice water, if needed, to maintain a comfortable dough temperature).
6. Mix on low to medium speed until fully developed, about 2-4 minutes. 
7. Add the butter and mix until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes.
8. Without stopping the mixer, add the remaining egg yolks and mix until fully developed, about 2-3 minutes. 
9. Add the salt and the remaining water (ice water, if needed), and mix until the salt is fully dissolved and the water is incorporated, about 5 minutes. 
10. Let dough rest for about 3-4 minutes.
11. Add the inclusions and mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes. Inclusions should be distributed evenly throughout the dough. 
12. Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes in either the bowl or in a wide and shallow container. There is no need to give any folds or shaping at this point. 
13. After resting, divide the dough into the desired size and pre-shape into boules.
14. Leave to rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. 
15. Shape the dough and place into panettone molds.
16. Place into a proofing chamber set between 75.2-78.8°F (24-26°C) and let proof for 4 to 5 hours.
17. Proof until the dough is about 4-5 cm from the top of the mold.

Baking

• Glaze, as needed, optional
• Sugar, as needed, optional

1. Remove the panettone from the proofing chamber and, if using the glaze, glaze and sugar the panettone tops immediately.
2. Leave dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
3. Bake in a rotary oven at 338°F (170°C) for 55 minutes or in a pastry oven at 325°F (163°C), fan speed 1, for 55-60 minutes. 
4. When the panettone is finished, the core temperature should be between 198°F and 201°F (92°C and 94°C).
5. Skewer the panettone and hang it upside down for at least 8 hours to allow it to fully set.

(This article appeared in the Summer 32 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)