The Genoese low panettone is one of the most beloved traditional Christmas desserts in Liguria and represents a delightful alternative to the classic panettones and pandoros.
Soft, fluffy, and with a captivating aroma, this typical dessert from Genoa is perfect for those who want to bring a homemade, genuine Christmas dessert to the table and enjoy Ligurian culinary traditions during the holidays.
Preparing it is a special way to experience the Christmas atmosphere, amidst intoxicating scents and authentic flavors.
I had been planning to make this recipe for a long time, trying to get as close as possible to the original Genoese low panettone.
The traditional version includes candied fruits and a larger quantity of sultana raisins, but I chose to reduce the raisins and replace the candied fruits with chocolate to suit my household tastes.
The result is a balanced dessert, sweet but not excessive, ideal for breakfast, snack, or dessert during the holidays.
The preparation time requires some patience, especially for the rising: you can prepare the dough in the morning and bake it in the evening, or work it in the evening and let it rise all night in the oven turned off.
Although it requires some attention, the final result is always rewarding… a semi-soft homemade panettone, fragrant, perfect for bringing Genoa’s Christmas tradition to the table.
This dessert is also a great opportunity to discover and share traditional Italian Christmas recipes, experimenting with local variations and surprising friends and family with a unique dessert.
The satisfaction of making it with your own hands is priceless, the aroma that fills the kitchen, the delicate taste makes this Genoese low panettone a true symbol of family Christmas.
If you are looking for traditional Christmas recipes, the Genoese low panettone is a must.
Making it is simple, fun, and always delivers an extraordinary result, perfect for those who love homemade Christmas sweets.
Kcal 485 per person
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 9 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Liguria
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
Ingredients to make the Genoese Low Panettone
- 3/8 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1 1/4 cup W350 flour
- Leavened starter
- 2 1/3 cup W350 flour
- 1 tsp dry brewer's yeast
- 1/3 cup water
- 7 tbsp butter
- 7/8 cup sugar
- zest of 1/2 orange
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 4 oz dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup sultana raisins
- 2 tbsp rum
Tools
- 1 Baking tray Non-stick baking tray for desserts
Preparation of the Genoese Low Panettone
Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the lukewarm water, add the flour, and mix well until you get a smooth and compact ball.
Place it in a container, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 6-7 hours in a warm environment.
Dough Preparation
First, soak the raisins in hot water for an hour, then drain them and set aside.
For this preparation, you will need a mixer, but if you don’t have one, you can use a food processor with the kneading attachment.
In the mixer, place the paddle attachment and add the leavened starter, grated lemon and orange zest, sugar, a little flour, and start kneading for a few seconds
….then add milk or water, rum, the brewer’s yeast, flour little by little, and knead for a few minutes.
Once all the flour is added, add the softened butter to the dough, then add the rum and knead to absorb it well, which may take up to 10 minutes of working.
The mixer will help to obtain a well-homogeneous dough, and the obtained dough will be so beautiful that the rising will be much better than working by hand.
Now remove the paddle attachment and place the hook, finish the process, and finally add the drained and well-squeezed raisins, chocolate chips, knead for a few seconds.
Take the obtained dough, transfer it to a floured work surface, work it into a ball, then flatten it until it becomes like a long pizza….
….fold one half over the other facing each other, and slightly fold the lateral edges inward, then flatten it…
….roll it up to form a sausage.
Fold the dough in three along the length, then flatten it to get an oval; at this point, fold the wide part one inside the other (see photo).
Subsequently, fold in three along the length and flatten; at this point, repeat the steps twice.
Flattened dough, fold in 3 along the width, then in 3 along the length, flatten, these are the steps to repeat.
More complicated to explain than to do!!
At this point, form a round loaf, line a baking tray with parchment paper, place our dessert and surround it with a paper ring (homemade) or
with an adjustable cake ring 1 finger higher than the height of the cake.
Alternatively, take a high-edged cake tray with a diameter of 9.5 inches.
Cover the dessert with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 6 hours or until doubled.
Once risen, score a V on the surface (a classic mark of this dessert) and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 50 minutes checking the cooking.
Once risen, score a V on the surface (a classic mark of this dessert) and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 50 minutes checking the cooking.
If it browns too much on the surface, cover with aluminum foil.
Once cooked, let it cool well, and if you can, enjoy it the next day for a better taste.
Store in a plastic bag.
