Preparation for the orange almond panettone

• Important tips before starting.
  As with all “great leavened cakes,” you need to use a very active sourdough, so I start refreshing my sourdough twice a day two days before.
  The eggs must be cold from the fridge, and the butter slightly soft, so the dough doesn’t overheat during the long kneading process.
  Almond flour can be replaced with blended almonds until powdered.
  Candied fruits can be replaced with raisins or other ingredients according to your tastes.

• The evening before, we start with the first dough, which needs to rest all night.
  Start the first dough by putting the water, the yeast in pieces, and a tablespoon of sugar in the stand mixer’s bowl with the paddle attachment.
  Mix at low speed until the yeast is well softened and almost dissolved.
  Add the flour, except for three tablespoons to be set aside.
  Knead at medium-high speed (2 – 3 on my Kenwood) until the dough clings to the paddle. 
  Add one egg yolk and then a third of the remaining sugar and a tablespoon of the reserved flour.
  Knead again until incorporated.
  Add the second egg yolk in the same way, alternating between eggs, sugar, and flour, finally also the third yolk with the last sugar and the last remaining flour.
  Stop the mixer, and with your hands, turn the dough upside down in the bowl for good homogeneous kneading.
  Continue kneading and add, always with the machine running, the soft butter (but not melted) in two or three parts, stop the mixer and overturn the dough two or three times with your hands, then knead always with the paddle (at speed 1/2 – 2) until you get a smooth and semi-shiny dough that forms a film.
  Insert the hook at this point and knead a little more, turning the dough twice.
  From start to finish, the dough should be kneaded for about 15 minutes.
  Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a container (better if narrow and tall) covered with plastic wrap.
  I left it in the same mixer bowl.
  Let the first dough rise all night in a warm place; it should triple, meaning it should increase two times its initial volume.

• The evening before, also prepare the glaze that should be stored in the refrigerator to thicken; otherwise, it will be too liquid.
  
  Glaze preparation: in a bowl, mix the almond flour, add the sifted starch, and always stirring, add the egg whites, and whip everything with beaters for about 5 minutes, seal well and store in fridge for the following day.

  

• Second dough:
  In the morning, check that the first dough has tripled and proceed with the second dough.
  In the stand mixer with the hook, make a few turns to make the first dough cling to the hook, then continue and add the water, a quarter of the sugar, and immediately as much flour as needed to obtain a dough that incorporates.
  When the dough is incorporated, add the egg and enough flour to incorporate.
  Then add the three egg yolks, one at a time, each followed by the sugar and the remaining flour divided among the three yolks, (The same procedure as the first dough) with the last yolk also add the salt.
  Incorporate the dough, kneading at speed 1 and 1/2 – 2…. add the softened butter, but not melted, in two or three parts, turning the dough over each time with your hands.
  When all the butter is absorbed, add the honey and the vanilla.
  In the end, we should have a nice, smooth, and incorporated dough that forms a film, wet your hands under the water and do the test by pulling the dough.
  Finally, add the grated orange and candied cubes, working very gently with the hook, turn it over and work again just enough to insert the candied evenly.
  Round the dough in the bowl and let it rest for half an hour covered with plastic wrap.

• At this point, the dough is ready to be placed in the mold for the final rising, you can divide it into two equal portions (two 500 g molds) and round them with buttered or watery hands on a buttered surface, for two low panettones like the classic ones or make one big panettone.
  
  Then proceed with the rounding (I did the Morandin rounding from this video   
  Then place in the mold or molds for panettones and let rise in the oven with the light on (82-86°F) covered with plastic wrap until the edges reach about 1 cm from the end of the mold (there is no exact time it depends on the temperature you have at home, the warmer it is, the faster it rises).
  Then uncover the dough to dry the skin (about 15 minutes) and glaze.
  Using a spoon or a piping bag, cover with thin strips of glaze, leaving about 1 cm free from the edge, sprinkle with whole almonds, candied fruits, and dust with powdered sugar.

• Bake the panettone at 356°F in a preheated ventilated oven for about 45 minutes and static for about 50 minutes; if you have divided the dough into two, reduce the baking time to 30/35 minutes.
  Halfway through baking, cover the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent it from browning too much.
  Once baking is finished, let the panettone cool by placing it upside down supported by a couple of skewers; I used knitting needles and placed it upside down inside the stand mixer bowl.
  Store the panettone for a few days before serving or gifting, in a transparent bag to allow the aromas to mature.

  

• For other Christmas panettone recipes, read
  Panettone Sal De Riso Recipe–
  Chocolate Panettone–
  Quick Mini Panettones

  
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