food: panettone faq
what’s the best way to eat panettone?
By mouth. Or face first.
does panettone come from Germany?
No. It comes from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and if you have money, Waitrose or Dolce & Gabbana.
do you have any buying advice on panettone?
Yes, not all panettone are equal. Most loaves weigh 500g and some weigh 750g and some fill the tin they’re in. Some contain more egg, butter, vanilla, chunky peel, more juicy fruit and even nuts or chocolate – the extras can slow me down. I buy on weight and cost aiming for £1 / 100g. If you warm it as follows it’ll taste expensiver (were this a word).
how long does panettone last – does it store better in a tin?
Once opened the entire loaf may last an hour or so. If it’s wrapped and placed in a cool, dry cupboard someone else may finish it before you. Placing it in an attractive tin can increase the risk of that if it looks opened.
is there a recommended portion size for panettone?
No! Calorie-wise a large 100g slice (a fifth of a loaf) gives you 360 calories which is similar to that from a filled Krispie Kreme doughnut. In other words a 500g loaf equates with the calories from five Krispie kreme doughnuts. That’s 1800 calories. If you don’t now do some exercise you’ll notice the panettone under your skin in the coming weeks.
should panettone be sliced or eaten by the handful?
Either works but it may be sliced with a knife / electric knife to slow your guests down. Don’t dip it in coffee. It’s said that Italians add mascarpone / chocolate to it but that’s unnecessary. What do they know?
is there a way to cut panettone?
A cake shop sells equal-sized pieces cut at say 20° or 18° – however at home you can be unfair. To get 20 unequal pieces cut the round panettone in half and then slice each half as shown.
Traditionally you might cut as follows:
- 12 pieces: cut cake in half, cut into quarters, cut each quarter into three pieces (= 30°)
- 16 pieces: cut cake in half, cut into quarters, cut each quarter into four eighth pieces. (~ 20°)
- 20 pieces: cut cake in half, cut into quarters, cut each quarter into five pieces (~ 18°)
can panettone be improved with a topping?
No, but panettone can really be improved when you place a cut piece in the microwave < 10 seconds. Alternatively place the box on a warm radiator for ~30 minutes.
I don’t find this funny
Well luckily perhaps you’re not addicted to this as much as I am