Panettone: How to Serve Italy’s Iconic Christmas Cake in the UK
There are some foods that simply belong to Christmas. In Britain, we have our mince pies and Christmas pudding.
In Italy, they have panettone: that magnificent domed sweet bread that’s become increasingly familiar on British tables over the past few years.
Panettone in the UK is no longer considered just a “delicious delicacy” but is found in almost every supermarket at this time of year. It’s becoming a proper British Christmas tradition in its own right.
The Guardian has hailed it as a:
“British festive product.”
Demand for panettone has been growing rapidly in recent years, as demonstrated by Waitrose sales rising 65% year-on-year, following a 40% increase in 2022.
What is Panettone, really?
In Milanese tradition, panettone is a sweet bread garnished with candied orange peel, citron, and sultanas, but over time it has evolved with the addition of a sugar and almond glaze.
Calling it “sweet bread” doesn’t do it justice. The right ingredients – and this is crucial – have an extraordinarily light, almost cloud-like texture, resulting from days of slow fermentation with natural yeast.
The name itself comes from Milanese dialect “panattón” is the augmentative of “pane” and means “large bread” or “coarse bread“. This is quite fitting when you see one in all its splendor: these are not humble pastries.
The traditional shape is that characteristic tall dome, achieved thanks to brilliant pastry ingenuity. After baking, the panettone is hung upside down to give it its characteristic dome shape and airy texture.
Yes, you read that right: upside down. This prevents the delicate structure from collapsing under its own weight while it is still warm.
Legend and History Behind Panettone
Like any food with a history, panettone is surrounded by legends and stories about its origins.
According to tradition, at the court of Ludovico il Moro in Milan, a kitchen helper named Toni saved the Christmas dinner after the chef burned the dessert by improvising with some leftover ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, citrus zest, and raisins. And so it became known as “Pan de Toni,” Toni’s bread.
A beautiful story, perhaps untrue, but one that has been passed down for centuries, which speaks volumes about how deeply rooted panettone is in Italian culture.
The documented history is a little less dramatic, but more interesting. Until the 15th century, wheat was considered precious and the preserve of wealthy families, except at Christmas, when bakeries were allowed to use it for specialty breads.
This Christmas bread gradually evolved, becoming richer and more elaborate over the centuries. The panettone we know today was born at the beginning of the 20th century, when Angelo Motta created the tall, fluted shape using innovative production techniques and literally revolutionized Italian Christmas celebrations.
How to Serve Panettone? Italian Tradition
Serving panettone correctly makes a huge difference in its flavor and appeal.
In Italy, panettone is traditionally served at the end of the Christmas feast with coffee or dessert wine, especially sparkling wine.
This isn’t just a tradition in and of itself: there’s a very specific logic behind it.
Panettone should be served at room temperature and should never be stored in the fridge. Keep it wrapped in its original paper packaging.
Slices should be cut vertically into wedges of about 3-4 cm, thin enough to be elegant, but thick enough to appreciate the texture and flavour.
Don’t cut it horizontally like sliced bread; instead, start from the centre and work outwards.
To store panettone after cutting the first slices, cover the exposed surface with cling film, then wrap it back in its paper and packaging. Keep it at room temperature, not in the fridge.
British Adaptations That Actually Work
Some British adaptations to serving panettone work wonderfully well.
- For breakfast: toast the slices lightly – just enough to warm them through and crisp the edges slightly, whilst keeping the centre soft and chewy. Spread with good butter and jam or marmalade. We particularly recommend our Amarena jam, Quince jam or Orange Marmalade. Some people butter the panettone before toasting, which creates an almost brioche-like richness.
- For afternoon tea: serve it exactly as the Italians do, but alongside proper British tea rather than espresso. It works surprisingly well with Earl Grey or a good breakfast blend.
- As dessert: serve warmed panettone with cream, or use it in bread and butter pudding – genuinely extraordinary. The richness of the bread makes for an incredibly decadent pudding.
- With cheese: rather unconventional, but it works. A slice of panettone alongside a cheese board, particularly with creamy cheeses like Gorgonzola dolce or mascarpone, is surprisingly good. The sweetness balances the savoury elements beautifully.
For British tastes, these also work well:
- Port: particularly tawny port, which has those lovely caramel notes Champagne
- Champagne: if you’re feeling extravagant
- Good quality tea: honestly, this shouldn’t work but it does
- Hot chocolate: especially good with chocolate-flavoured panettone
Our Six Panettone Varieties
We make six flavours, each available in three sizes – 300g (perfect for smaller households or as part of a Christmas gift hamper), 500g (the classic size for sharing), and 750g (for when you’re feeling properly generous or feeding a crowd):
- Classic Panettone: the traditional version with sultanas, candied fruit and almonds. If you’ve never tried panettone before, start here. This is the one that’s been perfected over centuries, and there’s a reason it’s remained essentially unchanged, it simply works.
- Pear, Chocolate & Ginger: featuring candied pears, chocolate chips and both ground and candied ginger. This one’s become surprisingly popular with British customers, perhaps the ginger appeals to our love of warming winter flavours. It’s rather sophisticated without being pretentious.
- Amarena & Chocolate: made with candied amarena cherries (those gorgeous sour Italian cherries) and chocolate chips, topped with sliced almonds. The tartness of the amarena cuts through the richness beautifully. Absolutely lovely with a strong coffee.
- Caramelised Figs & Walnuts: this uses our signature caramelised figs – made with 85% actual fruit, not some vague “fig flavouring” – combined with walnuts and almonds. It’s quite different from traditional panettone, with deeper, more complex flavours. Works particularly well as a dessert with a glass of dessert wine.
- Chocolate & Cervia Whole Sea Salt: dark chocolate, cocoa powder and that precious artisan sea salt from Cervia, with chocolate chips throughout. Sophisticated without being over the top. The salt enhances the chocolate rather than making it taste salty, it’s a subtle but important distinction.
- Coffee & Chocolate: coffee paste and white chocolate with chocolate chips. For the coffee enthusiasts in your life (and there are always a few). This one’s particularly good for breakfast, oddly enough, the coffee flavour works brilliantly with morning cappuccino.
Panettone in Christmas Gift Hampers
One of the nicest developments we’ve seen is how naturally panettone fits into the British tradition of Christmas gift hampers. These aren’t just attractive packages – they’re carefully considered selections that tell a story about Italian artisan food culture.
A well-assembled hamper might include:
- One of our 500g panettoni (choose the flavour based on the recipient’s tastes)
- A selection of our artisan jams or preserves
- Some traditional specialities from Romagna like caramelised figs or Savòr
- Our handmade biscuits
What makes panettone particularly suitable for hampers is its presentation and shelf life. Each one is beautifully packaged: ours come in elegant wrapping that can be customised for corporate gifts and they keep for about six months when properly stored.
This means you can assemble hampers well in advance without worrying about freshness. The sizes work well too. A 300g panettone fits perfectly in a modest hamper alongside other treats, whilst a 750g one makes a spectacular centrepiece for a luxury hamper.
Ready to Experience Authentic Panettone?
This Christmas, prepare gift baskets for clients, friends, or family, or treat yourself to something original and special with one of our six artisanal panettone cakes. Each celebrates the Italian baking tradition, particularly that of Romagna.
Bring the typical ingredients of Romagna to your Christmas table and Buon Natale from all of us at Luvirie!