Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread

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Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread

Sharing today, moist, festive and ready for gifting - a Chocolate Chip Panettone. This Italian cake is cross between a moist decadent rich cake and light and fluffy yeast bread. Oh, and I baked mini version of Chocolate chip panettones to make'em perfect - Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen. Oh, and also sharing a little secret to bake an extra moist batch, every time! Read on to unfold!

Also, cakes stay good for 10-12 days. You prepare them well in advance. Bonus? Panettone taste even better as it ages! Perfect for gifting! Indeed!

Today is start of official Christmas month! Yesterday, I saw so many people carrying Christmas Trees homes tied to back of their cars. Really, happy to see everyone in full holiday mood!

Christmas has always been a great time of year for my family. My younger brother was born on Christmas Day and  when he was young, I used to take him to Church every Christmas. Being a kid, he was always very happy to see decorated church and all hustle bustle as if it is for his birthday. :-)  So party foods, sweets and appetizers and a lot more has always been a big part of our Holiday Tradition. 

Rubbermain TakeAlongs for Panettone Cakes Holiday Gifting | chefdehome.com

I jumped with joy when I got opportunity to share Rubbermaid TakeAlongs with you all. If you follow my blog, I love sharing mini (gifting-friendly) treats every Christmas season. It all started when few years ago we visited India during this time. I made a few cakes and packed them with my luggage to India. As I said, the best thing about rich cakes like Panettone, or Christmas Cake is that these taste even better when a few days old. I guess that's why these are so so perfect for gifting. In India, my family enjoyed these cakes so much that the very next day after landing in India, I was baking another batch. :).

Mini Italian Panettone Cakes for Holiday Christmas Gifting | chefdehome.com

Last week while our grocery-trip to Walmart, I grabbed a few sets of Rubbermaid TakeAlongs to get-set for my holiday gifting post. Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Deep Squares are perfect to gift mini panettones. I don't spend time in finding traditional Italian baking pans for panettones. The disposable square paper baking pans work just fine. After baking and cooling, I pack panettone in Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Deep Squares.  Rubbermaid TakeAlongs have soft and flexible lid that fits perfectly with mini cakes inside. Since these cakes stay good (up-to 10 days) and taste even better as they age, you can bake and keep them ready 3-4 days before Christmas.

Freshly Baked Mini Italian Panettone Cakes for Christmas Gifting | chefdehome.com

During these days, we are often visiting friends during weekends or over Christmas Holidays. Not just baked gifts-from-kitchen, my friends often look forward to my potluck appetizers/treats too.

Mini Cream Puffs for Holiday Potluck | chefdehome.com

For Potluck, I love carrying finger appetizers or mini-sweet treats. The Rubbermaid TakeAlongs make carrying food easy and mess-free. So, I also bought a set of Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Rectangles for next weekend's Potluck party.

Before we head to the Panettone recipe, let me share with you tips on making 

1. Always pick recipe which you can assemble a day in advance. This way you will not spend time cooking on the day of event.
2. While deciding for a recipe, always keep potluck theme in mind. :)
3. Food can go cold quickly. For sensitive foods, keep some ice packs ready to help in travelling.
4. Pack food in take-away safe containers with lid. This is one more reason I like Rubbermaid TakeAlongs. It's Quik Clik Seal™ technology keeps food secure and helps prevent spills in transport.
5. Above all, prep in advance and stay ahead of the game

Mini Cream Puffs for Holiday Potluck | chefdehome.com

How to keep Panettone Extra Moist?

Over the years, I have learned a best trick to keep, often dry Panettone, extra moist!! When cakes are just out-of-the-oven, brush each with a generous dab of unsalted melted butter. Seriously, you will be surprised what difference this little step can bring to texture of the cake. Makes it extra moist and delicious. Also, if you have a day-old-cake that feels little dry. Microwave cake for 30 seconds and then apply the butter. Result? Extra moist Panettone ever!! Best Part? Rubbermaid TakeAlongs are microwave safe. So you can re-heat cake right in the container! How cool is that?

Friends, here are a few of my favorite Christmas Gifting and Potluck Tradition ideas.

3 Years Ago Christmas CakeandSavory Empanadas
2 Years Ago Christmas Panettone - an Italian Christmas Cake and Cream Puff with Chocolate Glaze
1 Year Ago Coconut and Orange Marmalade Cake and Cheese and Citrus-Chive Gougeres

Friends, I would love to hear what are your favorite Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen?! Do share! :) Happy Holiday Gifting month! Keep checking back for more excting recipes whole month! -Savita

Christmas cake or sweet gifting is huge in my book. Here are a few I've shared before.

Clementine Cake Christmas Chocolate Tree Cakes Christmas Panettone - an Italian Christmas Cake

Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread

Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread
Total Time: Prep Time: Cook Time: Cuisine: American () Difficulty: Easy
Yields: 4 Mini Panettone Cak - Serves: 10
(Idle Time - Overnight)

Ingredients

Penntone Christmas Bread
Smart Swap: You can also replace candied fruits with raisins.

Directions

  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 1. In a stand mix bowl, add lukewarm 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it bloom for 10 minutes. Additional Notes: If yeast doesn't bloom. Discard and start over again.
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 2. To the yeast and water, all flour, salt, sugar, vanilla bean, and lemon essence. Using paddle attachment, mix until resembles bread crumbs.
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 3. Add room temperature eggs.
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 4. Mix until fully combined (1 minutes with paddle attachment) Now add room temperature butter in two batches, mix after each addition until fully incorporated.
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 5. Add chopped cherries and chocolate chips, than combine with wooden or silicon spoon to evenly distribute in the dough.
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 6. Oil a clean wide bowl and transfer the dough to bowl and swirl once to fully coat. Cover with plastic cling wrap and then clean kitchen towel. Leave overnight or for 9-10 hours in cold microwave or oven with door closed. I keep it in microwave box with door closed. Don't switch on microwave while dough is in there :)
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 7. n morning dough will be of this size.
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 8. Punch it down, transfer to flour dusted board, pat gently, don't use roller and divide in four equal parts.
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 9. Place in mini-cake pans or if not gifting or can find penettone pan then put whole dough in one pan. Let it rise until just out of the pan. (2-3 hours in a warm dry place)
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 10. Once dough has risen, it just fills the pan like shown in picture.
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 11. Place oven rack in middle or lower half of the oven. Pre-heat oven at 370 degrees Fahrenheit. Once dough has risen, bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Rotate the pan once mid way through cooking. Bread is ready when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Additional Notes: If looks over browning, cover with aluminium foil for last 10 minutes of cooking.
    Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 12. Once out of the oven, place brush a generous stroke of butter on each loaf, then let'em cool completely on wire rack.
  • Step for Recipe - Chocolate Chip Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread 13. Pack into individual boxes and you are ready for Holiday Gifting!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @SAVITACHEFDEHOME on Instagram and hashtag it #SAVITACHEFDEHOME

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7 Responses

  1. I made these into mini loaves today, but with just chocolate chunks and orange extract. Delicious! Will definitely add orange zest and more chocolate next time, and maybe some nuts. Thanks for the recipe!
  2. Christmas bread looks so delicious with chocolate chips and dried candy fruits.
    thanks, Antonet! I'm glad you like the bread. You know, the best part was chocolate chips.. made this bread extra delicious!
  3. I've never heard of this as Panettone before, I'm only family with fruit bread, which is considerably different it seems? In any case, this is such a colorful recipe, I will have to give it a go! #client
    thanks, Jenna! I have heared of Fruit Cake before which looks like Panettone but is a cake and has no yeast. This bread is classic Italian Christmas bread which has yeast and cake base, I mean eggs and butter as well. I hope you like it when you get chance to try it.
  4. Oh these are so gorgeous Savita! You can gift me all of these! :D
    thanks! Sending a big box of Panettone your way :)