PANETTONE is an Italian sweet bread originally from Milan. It is usually prepared and enjoyed at Christmas an

100g raisins

50g sultanas

50g chopped mixed peel

750ml flour 60ml castor sugar 10ml salt

10g sachet of instant yeast grated rind of

1 lemon grated rind of 1 orange

1 egg yolk

1 egg

15ml honey 10ml vanilla extract 80g butter, softened 250ml warm milk

Put the raisins and sultanas in a bowl. Pour boiling water over them to plump them up. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Dry the raisins with a paper towel. Combine with the mixed peel and set aside.

Put the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and rinds into the bowl of a mixer. Combine the yolk, egg, honey and vanilla and mix well. Add to the flour with the butter and enough milk to make a dough that is soft, but not sticky.

Add the fruit mixture and knead until evenly distributed.

Put the dough into an oiled plastic bag and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Remove from the plastic and knead lightly. Shape into a ball and drop the dough into a well-greased, deep 18cm cake pan. Cover and set aside until the dough has risen to the top of the pan. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross in the top of the dough.

Brush with egg wash and bake at 170°C for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean.

Makes 1 large or 8 small panettones

◆ Smaller panettones can be baked in mega muffin pans for about 30 minutes.