Panettone
Starter:
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
Final Dough:
all of the above starter
2 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast
2 whole eggs
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied orange peel
Combine the three ingredients for the starter and briefly mix until a cohesive dough is achieved, about two minutes by hand or 30 seconds with a stand mixer. Allow the starter to ferment, covered in a bowl for 6-8 hours at room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the fermented starter, the flour, eggs, milk, sugar, salt, butter and instant yeast. Turn the mixer on low speed and combine the ingredients, continuing to mix for approximately 5 minutes. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and mix for 4 minutes more. Stop the mixer and add the cranberries and candied orange peel. Turn the mixer on low speed and combine for one minute or until the fruit is evenly distributed. Be sure not to over mix and destroy the fruit. Remove the dough from the mixer and place in a large bowl with plenty of room for expansion. Cover the dough with either plastic wrap or a tightly woven cloth.
After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and gently fold the dough upon itself two or three times as if you were folding a bed sheet. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover. Let ferment for one hour more. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a very lightly flour-dusted work surface. Using a dough scraper or a very sharp knife, divide the Panettone dough in two equal parts by eye. Using cupped hands, form each piece of dough into two perfect round balls and place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Cover the dough with cloth and allow to ferment, or “proof,” for approximately 1 hour. The properly proofed Panettone should give slightly to the touch as the pressure from a finger leaves an indentation that retracts only partially.
Beat one egg and brush the surface of each Panettone evenly with a smooth coating of egg wash. With a sharp serrated knife, cut an “X” about 4” across the top of each loaf and immediately place into a 350ºF oven for about 25 minutes or until a dark mahogany color is achieved. Remove from the sheet pan immediately after baking and place on a cooling rack. Lightly dust with powdered sugar after the bread is completely cooled (about one hour).
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