Candied Lemon Tart Cherry Sourdough Panettone (Giorilli) and Panettini

After getting my starter active again I wanted to have another go at Giorilli’s panettone recipe to see if my previous bake was a lucky fluke or if I could repeat its success.  I’m pretty happy with the results of the bake, although I haven’t yet sliced into the panettone.  I never actually measured the total weight of the dough the first time, when I did this time I noticed that the total weight was 1200 g.  This is far greater than I expected as the recipe states that it is for 1 kg dough which is the amount for the molds that I have.  I went through the ingredient measurements and 1200 g is approximately what they add up to.  So for this bake I divided the dough into 950 g for the main panettone and then the 250 g of remaining dough I divided by six and placed each small boule into cupcake molds.  I probably should have gone with eight since the dough almost filled 50% of the cupcake molds so the dough couldn’t ferment long enough. Despite that, the panettini turned out well and I can vouch for the combination of candied lemon and tart cherries that I decided to use for this bake.  Once again I made the candied lemon peel for these panettini and panettone.

Makes 1 large loaf (950 g) + 250 g extra dough which I divided and placed into cupcake molds to make panettini.

Prep Time 4 days

Cook Time 50-55 minutes

Two day starter preparation

Aim to get starter active enough that it triples when fed 1:0.5:1 in 4 hours at 82ºF.

To deal with the overnight, create a stiff sweet starter by feeding the starter 1:0.5:1 and sugar 50% of total water and ferment at 78ºF.  This will reduce the LAB population and slow the starter to last overnight and not be too acidic.

10 g starter, 5 g water, 3.75 g sugar and 10 g flour overnight (about 12 hours 77°F) and the follow with 3 feeds at 1:0.5:1.  12 g starter:6 g water:12 g flour twice then the final starter feed needs to have a final total weight of >30 g in order to make enough levain.

Final levain build 30 g starter, 15 g water and 30 g flour.

I believe we are targeting a pH of around 4.1 for the final levain.

Ingredients

First dough:

• Levain 75 g of 50% hydration
• 120 g water
• 240 g high gluten flour  (~15% protein)
• 75 g sugar
•  
• 75 g butter , softened not melted and cut into several pieces
• 55 g egg yolks (about 4)

Second dough:

• 60 g high gluten flour (15% protein)
• 2 g diastatic malt
• 70 g sugar
• 95 g egg yolks (about 5 or 6) divided to be added gradually
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (~3 grams) on 2nd day can add the salt to the aromatic mix
• All of the aromatic mix (recipe follows)
• 95 g butter, softened (not melted)and cut into several pieces, divided to be added ¾ and finally ¼
•  
• 120 g rehydrated tart cherries, weigh after soaking
• 90 g candied lemon peel , diced small

Aromatic mix:

• 30 g honey
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• One lemon grated

   

Egg wash (optional)

• One egg beaten with a splash of milk or cold water and pinch of salt

Instructions

***Day 1***. Overview and Preparation

• Overview of day 1: prepare aromatic mixture (will sit for 24 hours until day 2), soak tart cherries (soaks for 1.5 hours), refresh levain/starter 3 times throughout morning and afternoon (example, 8AM, noon, and 3PM), and then make first dough in evening (45 mins to 1 hour active time)

Mix Aromatic Blend and Soak tart cherries

• To begin, mix ingredients for aromatic blend in a small jar, cover and let sit for 24 hours
• Rehydrate cherries by soaking them in bowl of hot water for 30 minutes, rinse well and then soak again in warm water for 1 hours. Drain and then place on paper towel and let sit overnight. Make sure to re-weigh cherries once hydrated because you will need less as they will weigh more.

Refreshing your Starter/Levain (Liquid)

• Ensure that your levain has been refreshed enough times so that it is very active (suggestion is at least 3 feedings the day that you are making first dough) (eg, refresh at 8AM, noon, 3PM, and then use some to make first dough at 7PM).  The 50% hydration starter fermented at 82°F should triple within 4 hours.

Mixing the First Dough (Primo Impasto) - evening of day 1.  Refrigerate the mixing bowl and everything else other than the butter prior to mixing to help ensure a cool dough temperature during mixing below 78°F.  

• When ready to mix the first dough, add the levain to the bowl of a stand mixer, along with flour and water.  (For Ankarsrum Assistent start with dough hook, adding sugar at the start with the levain, water and flour before adding butter.)
• Mix for 10 to 15 minutes, then add sugar and then softened butter in several pieces.  (For the Ankarsrum Assistent fold the butter into the dough in the bowl one at a time to speed butter incorporation.  Switch to the paddle and roller at this point once the dough is softer)
• Only after butter is completely incorporated add the egg yolks in several stages.
• Ensure that the dough temperature stays under 26 degrees C (78F). If it goes higher, place dough in freezer for 10 minutes (remember this for second dough too)
• Mix for 25 minutes until you get a silky smooth elastic dough. The dough should achieve a great windowpane.

Bulk Rise of First Dough (12 hours/overnight)

• Place dough in large container (three times the size of the dough, I should use the 2nd largest bowl), cover, and let rise at 28/30 C (82 to 86F) for 12 hours.  The target pH of the primo impasto is > 5.0 I believe.
• Once tripled in size, place in freezer for 30 mins to cool.  This will help avoid overheating during the long mixing of secondo impasto
   

***Day 2***. Overview and Mixing of Second Dough (Secondo Impasto)

• Overview: Make dough two (45 mins), form loaves/rest dough (1 hour), let loaves rise (6 to 9 hours), and bake (35 mins to 1 hour, depending on liner size, see note)
• To begin, consider placing dough/bowl/hook/flour/fruit in refrigerator (everything except the butter) while measuring ingredients for dough two or even overnight.
•  
• When ready to proceed, add flour and barley malt to the day 1 dough and mix at slow speed then medium for 15 minutes using the hook.  (For the Ankarsrum Assistent start with first dough, flour, diastatic malt in the bowl and use the dough hook.  Once most of the flour is incorporated gradually add the sugar.  Once the dough starts to loosen switch to the paddle and roller before adding half the egg yolks)
• Slowly incorporate sugar
• Afterwards, add half the egg yolks, salt, and aromatic blend.
• Knead until smooth and homogenous
• Add 70 grams (about 3/4) of the softened butter, mix well, and then the rest of the yolks.
• Knead until smooth and so that the dough passes a great windowpane. Then add the remaining butter.  Finally add the tart cherries, and the candied peel.
•  

Bulk Rise of Second Dough

• Remove from machine onto buttered counter to weight and divide if needed.  Let stand in buttered or oiled covered bowl for 30 minutes
• Remove dough from bow onto buttered counter.   Form into tight boule. and let sit uncovered on counter for 15-30 minutes.  Tighten the boule and then transfer to the form.
• https://youtu.be/NgVxXgaey_A?si=l7yIJbl2_k8_glx_  shaping video.

Final Rise of Second Dough

Optional, once the dough is in the form, pass the skewers through the form and dough to save time and reduce risk of the panettone collapsing once out of the oven.  Place these just above the bottom of the form, placing them much higher can result in them tearing through the panettone a bit when it is hanging upside down.

• Allow loaves to rise in liners placed on a on baking sheet, covered by plastic wrap at a temp of 28 to 30 C (82 F to 86F) for 8.5 to 9 hours. You may leave the covered dough inside the oven (turned off!) with the oven light turned on for warmth if you have a cool kitchen.  My dough took 7 hours to complete final proofing to start of baking.
• The dough should rise within 1 inch of top of mold at the edge where it meets the form. If it rises more than that, you risk getting a mushroom shaped panettone, which is not considered ideal.  Preheat the oven and uncover the panettone at this point.
   

Preparing to Bake

• In the meantime, before baking, pre-heat the oven to 165 C (330 °F) and allow panettone to form skin by uncovering for 15 to 20 minutes prior to baking.  Alternate start at 355°F.
• Brush the top with an egg wash and sprinkle the decorating sugar on top.  Next cut a cross on top of panettone prior to baking and add a chunk of butter to the center

Bake loaves

Alternate baking start at 355°F for 12 mins then reduce to 330°F for 40 mins or so.

• Center should read 94 C (201 F) when done (takes about 50 to 55 minutes for 1 kg dough). For this bake I followed Sue’s baking starting at 355°F for 12 mins then 330°F for 45 mins.  I wasn’t watching the panettone at the end and the top is more carmelized than I would have wanted.  So I’ve reduced the bake time at 330°F to 40 mins.
• For panettini - bake at 355°F for 12 mins then 330°F for 15 mins.  Cool on wire rack.  These do not need to be inverted.

Invert and cooling of loaves

• To cool, immediately invert loaves by inserting wooden skewers across bottom and hang upside down on top of deep pot (see photo collage) (NOTE: you should use very pointy skewers or it may be difficult to pierce the panettone liners (I twist them for easy insertion; some folks pre-skewer their liners before baking. The loaves stick to the side of liners so they should not fall out. When serving, it is okay to cut right through paper and peel it off).
   
• After completely baked and cooled for 10-12 hours, place the loaves in plastic/cellophane bags. Before wrapping in plastic, you must wait 10 to 12 hours for loaves to completely cool. (to reduce risk of mold, consider spraying inside of bags with pure food grade alcohol and dry out completely before using)
• Panettone is best eaten at least 5 days after baking as the flavors continue to develop after baked. 
   

I had a bit of trouble getting the skewers through the panettone mold and it did start to deflate a bit during that time.  I didn’t skewer the panettone until after it was baked, perhaps next time I’ll do this prior to baking.

I’ll post crumb photos once I slide the panettone tomorrow.

My index of bakes.