Steps for Gourmet Mini Panettone

• To make these gourmet mini panettone, you first need to prepare a pre-dough, known as a ‘biga’ or Polish. This will result in an even softer brioche bread. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast with the milk and sugar. In another bowl, pour the flour and gradually add the milk, stirring with a fork to obtain a sticky dough or mixture. Cover with cling film and let rise for 1 hour in an oven that has been preheated and then turned off for a while, providing a proper fermentation chamber of 82°F-86°F. If you increase the amount of yeast, the rising time will be shorter. The pre-dough is ready when there are many bubbles on the surface.

  

• Once the pre-dough is ready, pour it into the stand mixer bowl and add the eggs, melted butter cooled down, 1 1/2 tbsp of sugar, and 5 tablespoons of flour. Mix for a few minutes first with the flat beater, then switch to the dough hook. Gradually add more flour until you achieve a soft and firm dough, alternating in three stages with the water, the remaining sugar, and the flour. I did it in this sequence: one-third water, one-third sugar, and enough flour to bring the dough together. Finally, add the salt and the remaining flour, kneading at speed 3-4 or high speed until the dough is fully developed. It will take a total of about 10-15 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer or any other kitchen robot, you can easily knead everything in a bowl and then on a pastry board. Let the dough rise in a bowl for a couple of hours or until doubled.

  

• When the dough has risen, turn it out onto the work surface and give it a strengthening fold. Divide it into equal-sized balls, each weighing 80 g. Form them into smooth balls by rounding them between your hands or on the work surface to give them a regular spherical shape. Place each ball into an 80 g paper panettone mold and let rise until doubled or until the dough reaches the mold. If you use 100 g molds, create 100 g balls. I used 12 molds for this batch. Bake in a preheated static oven on the lower rack at 356°F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn off and let cool completely.

  

• Slice them and fill with various cold cuts, vegetables, and mayonnaise or spreadable cheese. If you make the shrimp cocktail, you simply need to blanch the shrimp in hot water for a few minutes, drain them into a bowl, and let cool. Finally, add the pink sauce called cocktail sauce and mix. Arrange all the filled mini panettone on a tray and refrigerate until serving.

  

• And here they are, ready to serve, the gourmet mini panettone. I hope you enjoy this latest recipe of mine, until next time, friends.

  
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