by Cesare Zucca

Christmas is about sharing dinners at home, with relatives and closest friends, and even the menu reflects habits and customs that are repeated every Christmas Eve.
In Italy and all over of the world, milanese panettone remains the inevitable end of the meal to be presented on the tables.

There are several legends about the birth of the milanese panettone.
The most common dates back to the 1476. It tells of Ugo, a young falconer
who worked for Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan.

The boy was secretly in love with Adalgisa, daughter of Toni, the most popular baker in Milan. To spend more time with her, Ugo managed to become a pastry cook apprentice. Christmas was coming, and Ugo wanted to give a twist to the usual bread.He sweetened up the dough, adding sugar, butter, eggs, raisins and chopped candied fruits, then he cooked and shaped it like a giant muffin.The novelty instantly became the talk of the town. Everybody wanted the new Toni’s bread (pan de Toni) soon named “panettone“.

Here my choiches for the best 2024 panettone from Italy.

CLASSICO by RUSTICHELLA D’ABRUZZO.
Rustichella d’Abruzzo offers the classic panettone, typical of the Italian confectionery tradition. Soft and fragrant, Made with the precious sourdough, full of fragrant candied fruit and exquisite first-choice sultanas.It also comes in a baby size called Panettoncino” great for snacks or tea time. Rustichella also offers a savory panettone, with semi-dried cherry tomatoes and pecorino. inspired by the Abruzzo cake, it is a pleasant alternative for those who do not like sweets and want to accompany it with a nice glass of Montepulciano. Noteworthy is the typical checked tea towel that wraps it, an original wrapping that tastes of AbruzzoA flavor and aroma that will conquer you. MIO by PIETRO D’AGOSTINO
Michelin starred Chef D’Agostino launches a mango and peach panettone. “It is extremely delicate and fragrant,” says Pietro, “we didn’t even have to go too far to pick up a basket of delicacies grown behind the house, which also give us the feeling of being in the Tropics.”. The orange peels are accompanied by raisins soaked in an excellent passito wine from Pantelleria. From the rich undergrowth of Vulcan Etna, the typical yellow apples in a caramelized version with brown sugar and cinnamon, then softened by a white chocolate glaze, while wild raspberries are processed and immersed in dark chocolate, for a triumph of deliciousness. You can reserve Pietro’s creations by sending an email to info@pietrodagostino.it and it will be sent directly to your home.

SOPHIA LOREN by Caffè Masulli
The legendary actress s giving the joy of tasting her special panettone, made in collaboration with the famous artisan pastry shop ‘Caffè Masulli’ that was able to capture the exuberant personality of the Neapolitan diva, creating a panettone enriched with Mediterranean flavours of apricot and almonds . Masulli pastry shop is located in Somma Vesuviana (Naples) on the edge of the rare orchards that produce the Pellecchiella apricot, which has a unique flavor because it is grown right on the slopes of Vesuvius.

The most iconic dessert of Italian Christmas, a product of the highest quality, obtained with a mother yeast that has belonged to the same family for 100 years. You chan choose betweem three versions: “Classic” with raisins and candied fruit., “Apricot”with the unique pellecchiella apricots from Monte Somma and “Coffee” (my favorite!)I MARIGLIANO
Giovanni and Alessandro, are the founders of the company “I Marigliano”, an excellent confectionery company in San Giuseppe Vesuviano (Naples) Their desserts are steeped in childhood memories, happy moments spent with family. They manage to transform simple ingredients into creations that bring warmth to the hearts of those who taste them. In 2022 he won a first prize at Re Panettone with an innovative leavened product, but he also goes strong on the classic This year the two brothers offer a line of soft leavened products dedicated to traditional holidays, such as panettone , produced with sourdough passed down through generations and with carefully selected high-quality ingredients, just like everything produced by Marigliano.MASSA BON by DANIEL CANZIAN
Top chef Canzian created MassaBon Panettone, from the Venetian dialect “too good”, which is characterized by a surprising softness, a delicate taste and a fruity aroma given by the roasted apricots; the fruit pulp, baked in the oven and worked just to guarantee a natural flavor, is enclosed in the alveolation of the dough and offers a delicate aroma to the product, as well as an extremely creamy consistency. What makes it unique is the use of Roasted Orange Paste, an iconic preparation of the chef, free of aromas and preservatives, with a very low percentage of sugar, created in the kitchens of DanielCanzian Ristorante according to the classic Italian preparation and conservation method.
Chef Canzian advices to heat the panettone in the oven at 160° for 5-7 minutes before tasting, in order to emphasize the sweet and natural fragrance of the fruit, making it even creamier on the palate. Those desserts can be purchased online at the oniine chef’s Boutique, or at his Milanese restaurant in Via Castelfidardo corner of San Marco.

Have a Merry and Sweet Christmas!
BUON NATALE !