This is the ultimate Christmas dessert from Milan and the northern regions, although by now the craze for panettone has caught on at bakeries throughout Italy. It is a soft cloud of finely textured, uniform dough with a bright yellow color, filled with sultana raisins and candied fruits. When first sliced it unleashes an intense aroma of bread and citrus. There are now different versions of panettone on the market, with cream fillings, covered in chocolate and chestnuts or all kinds of frosting. The real panettone, though, remains a yeast dough with sultana raisins and candied fruit with a soft, moist, fluffy crumb.  

Panettone is the result of hours, actually days, of work for the experienced hands of pastry chefs, made through slow and patient work using top-quality ingredients. Its production is regulated with specifications establishing the amounts of all the ingredients, including sultana raisins and candied citron and orange. The dough, leavened with yeast, is allowed to rise for two days and then baked. Once it is ready, it is left for a whole day, then turned upside down to dry out. 

The origin of panettone is with the popular custom in the Middle Ages to celebrate Christmas with a bread richer than everyday bread. A manuscript from the late 1400s by Giorgio Valagussa, the instructor at the House of Sforza, documents the ducal habit of celebrating what was known as the log ritual. On Christmas Eve, a large log of wood was placed in the hearth and, at the same time, three large bread loaves made of wheat, the prestigious grain of the times, were brought to the table. The head of the household served a slice to all the diners, keeping one for the following year as a sign of continuity. Nowadays, every bakery must test itself with the preparation of panettone, which has become the symbol of Christmas not only in Milan but throughout Italy. There are also festivals for tasting different kinds of panettone, which has enchanted all Italians from north to south. 

Artisanal panettone keeps for 15-20 days closed in a plastic bag to keep in all the flavors. Commercial panettone keeps for longer because of the use of preservatives.