Christmas in Milan is not complete without its famous dessert: panettone. This guide will explore the places where you can enjoy and buy the best panettone in Milan, sharing secrets about its traditional recipe and suggesting modern variants that are winning over palates.

The history of panettone in Milan

Origins and traditions of panettone

Panettone has deep roots in Milan’s culinary history. We discover how this cake became a symbol of Milanese Christmas and what secrets lie behind its preparation.

Once upon a time in the beautiful city of Milan, there was a delicious tradition that won the hearts and palates of its inhabitants. This tradition was none other than the majestic panettone, a fluffy cake that has become a symbol of Italian Christmas all over the world.

Legend has it that the origins of panettone date back to the Middle Ages. At the court of Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, a great banquet was being prepared to celebrate Christmas. The court baker, Toni, was determined to create something extraordinary for this special occasion. Inspired by his passion for baking and his love for his city, Toni created a bread like no other.

With meticulous attention to detail, he combined the best ingredients, including flour, butter, eggs, candied fruit and sultanas. The dough, scented with delicate citrus notes, took on a magnificent domed shape during a slow and careful fermentation process. When it was finally baked to perfection, Toni’s creation emerged from the oven, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma that ignited the anticipation of all who smelled it.

As the story goes, the Duke was so enchanted by this wonderful creation that he named it ‘panettone’, which means ‘big bread’ in Italian. From then on, panettone became a cherished tradition for Milanese families, who brought it to their tables during the holidays.

Over the years, the art of panettone has been handed down from generation to generation. Today, Milan is home to countless master bakers who carry on the legacy of this beloved sweet bread. These skilled artisans meticulously work their panettone, using traditional methods and the best local ingredients.

During the Christmas season, the entire city of Milan comes alive with the magical scent of freshly baked panettone. Local bakeries and pastry shops display rows upon rows of these delights, each with its own unique twist. From classic flavours adorned with candied fruit and sultanas, to modern interpretations with chocolate or citrus variants, each panettone tells a story of skill, passion and love.

Milanese families gather around their tables, anxiously awaiting the moment when the panettone is unveiled. With great anticipation, the golden crust is sliced open, revealing a soft and airy interior, rich with flavours and textures perfected over centuries. Chatter and joyful laughter fill the air as loved ones share this cherished tradition, savouring each bite as if it were a precious gift.

Strolling through the streets of Milan during the Christmas season, one cannot help but be captivated by the enchanting aroma of panettone wafting through the air. It is a scent that speaks of history, tradition and the warmth of family. So if you find yourself in this magical city during the festive season, treat yourself to this true Milanese delicacy and become part of a story written with love and blossomed with flavour.

The places where you can buy the best panettone in Milan for Christmas

Find out where to buy and taste the real panettone in Milan

Milan offers a variety of bakeries and pastry shops where panettone is created following ancient recipes. Here is a list of the best, each with its own uniqueness.

Milan, the vibrant city of fashion and gastronomy, is known for its rich culinary heritage. One of the iconic delicacies that makes its appearance in every local bakery and pastry shop during the Christmas season is panettone. This sweet bread, filled with candied fruit and sultanas, is a must-have dessert for anyone visiting Milan in December.

To discover the best panettone in Milan for Christmas 2023, we at AN Hotels took a tour of the city to discover this fantastic dessert that the whole world envies us. We sampled many artisan panettone cakes produced exclusively within the city of Milan.

Our aim was to identify the five best that stood out from the rest. Each panettone was evaluated according to aroma, texture, appearance and, above all, taste.

After careful evaluation, we present our top five:

Davide Longoni’s panettone

Davide Longoni, one of Milan’s most renowned bakers, has created a true masterpiece with his Pirottino Milano panettone. This delicacy impresses with its perfect height, well-cooked crust and clean cut slices. The vertical air pockets inside the bread mean excellent yeast management, resulting in a wonderfully soft and tasty panettone. The combination of Calabrian orange peel, candied citron and sultanas adds just the right amount of acidity and sweetness. Davide Longoni’s traditional panettone is located at Via Tertulliano, 68. But it also has other locations in the city, find out where it is on Google Maps.

Frau Knam’s panettone

Alessandra Mion, also known as Frau Knam, is a talented pastry chef and wife of the famous chocolate king Ernst Knam. In her shop, Frau Knam has perfected the classic Milanese panettone. Baked in a low Galup mould, this panettone is visually uniform, well-risen and pleasantly soft. The use of Calabrian orange and honey gives the dough a moist and mouth-watering texture. Treat yourself to Frau Knam’s panettone at Via Augusto Anfossi, 19, 20135 Milan MI.

Gelsomina’s panettone

Founded in 2018 by Ilaria Puddu and Stefano Saturnino, Gelsomina is a contemporary pastry shop famous for its exquisite desserts, including the festive panettone. Gelsomina’s panettone is an absolute delight, thanks to its intensity, richness and complexity of aroma. It melts in the mouth, with excellent sultanas and candied fruit, although not perfectly distributed. Visit Gelsomina at Via Carlo Tenca, 5, 20124 Milan MI to try her panettone.

The panettone of Pavé

Pavè, a pastry shop opened in 2012 by Luca Scanni, Diego Bamberghi and Giovanni Giberti, has revolutionised the concept of breakfast bars in Milan. With its three locations in the city, Pavè specialises in breakfast pastries and artisanal delicacies, including panettone, which is served all year round. Using the finest ingredients, such as Bongiovanni flour, Normandy butter, candied fruit, Madagascar vanilla, Pariani selected sultanas and a 70-year-old mother yeast, Pavè creates an elegant and perfectly balanced panettone. To taste this iconic cake, please visit Via Felice Casati 27, Milan.

Marlà’s panettone

At the top of our ranking is Marlà, a renowned pastry shop in Porta Romana since 2018. The collaboration between its founders, Marco Battaglia and Lavinia Franco, has led to the creation of eight different types of panettone, with the traditional Milanese panettone taking the top spot. Marlà’s panettone is visually striking, baked in the classic Pirottino Milano mould, with a beautifully leavened and uniform dome. The key to its excellence lies in the perfect balance between its well-developed structure and skilful fermentation process. Indulge in rich butter and citrus flavours, with notes of lemon, orange and acacia honey paste. Marlà panettone is available all year round, with variations reflecting the seasons. Discover this exquisite panettone at Porta Romana.

Although these five panettoni took the top spots in our tasting, there were many other outstanding contenders that deserve recognition. Stay tuned to explore the remaining panettone offerings in Milan that failed to secure a place on the podium.

Christmas in Milan is a true feast for the senses, and no visit to the city during this festive period is complete without indulging in the rich flavours and exquisite craftsmanship of panettone. Explore these top panettone destinations and savour the magic of this traditional Italian dessert.

The real recipe of the panettone Milanese

The perfect homemade Christmas panettone recipe

Il miglior panettone di milano secondo noi di an hotels

The best panettone in milan according to us at an hotels

When it comes to Christmas sweets, nothing compares to the soft and fragrant Milanese panettone. The satisfaction of making panettone at home is unparalleled, especially if you follow the infallible recipe we give you here. In this article we will provide you with a complete guide on how to create a perfect Milanese panettone.

Ingredients and preparation of panettone milanese for Christmas

Preparation: 3-4 days
Cooking: 50-55 minutes
Difficulty: High
Portions: 1 kg panettone
Cost: Economical

Ingredients

1st mixture

60 g sourdough starter (active, 3 h after refreshment)
75 g Sugar
80 g Water (at room temperature)
85 g yolks
85 g Butter
240 g flour 00 (W320)

2nd mixture

all First Dough
60 g flour 00 (W320)
60 g Sugar
80 g yolks
90 g Butter
40 g Water
5 g Salt
all Aromatic mix for panettone
120 g sultanas
90 g candied orange (diced)
30 g candied citron (diced)

For the aromatic mix for panettone:

20 g barley malt (or acacia honey)
1/2 orange peel
1/2 lemon peel
1 vanilla pod

Preparation of the panettone

Day 1 – 08 a.m.

Preparing the sultanas. Soak the sultanas in warm water for 30 minutes, then rinse and squeeze them well. Soak the sultanas again in warm water for 5 hours. Squeeze them out and place them on a baking tray lined with a clean, dry tea towel. Cover with another tea towel and let the sultanas rest until the next day.

Day 2 – 08 a.m.

Refresh the sourdough starter.

Day 2 – 11 a.m.

Refresh the sourdough starter.
Prepare the aromatic mix for panettone. Combine all the ingredients together and let them rest for 24 hours before using them, this way they will have time to mature and thus give more flavour to the panettone.

Day 2 – 2 p.m.

Proceed with the preparation of the 1st dough. Fit the dough hook to the planetary mixer. In the bowl of the planetary mixer, combine caster sugar, flour and water. Knead the mixture until smooth and homogeneous (in case you are unable to do this with the dough hook, knead the mixture with a K-whip). Now add the soft butter a little at a time (do not add more butter until the previously added butter has been completely absorbed by the dough), also add the 40 g of egg yolks a little at a time (the same applies as for the butter). Knead for a few more minutes, then add the sourdough starter and the 45 g yolks a little at a time. When all the egg yolks have been absorbed, replace the K whisk with the hook (in case you need to whip the K) and knead the dough with the hook until it is stiff, i.e. until it is smooth, elastic and homogeneous.
To make sure the dough is set, pull the dough, if it breaks it means it is not ready, if pulling it a veil forms it means the dough is set. Kneading the dough could take up to 30-45 minutes. During this time, make sure the dough does not overheat. If too much heat is released, place the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing to knead.
When the dough is well kneaded, turn it out onto the work surface. Remove a small piece of dough and keep it aside (it will be used to check the progress of the rising).

At this point you have to pirl the dough.

Rolling is the process by which the leavened dough is given a regular shape. It is a method used both with dough leavened with brewer’s yeast and with dough leavened with sourdough.

What does it do? It serves to prevent the leaven from rising unevenly during the leavening process.

How to pierce a dough? How is it done? You turn the dough upside down on the work surface and spin it between your hands as if it were a spinning top in order to give it a regular shape that will allow it to rise evenly. Rolling can also be done with the help of a tarocco, a kind of wide spatula.

After kneading, place the dough in a large bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until it has tripled in volume. To tell when the volume has tripled, look at the small piece previously detached from the dough: also let this small piece rise by placing it in a glass with straight edges and mark the height of this small piece on the glass; then cover this small piece with the cling film. When, looking at the glass, you notice that the piece has tripled in volume, then the dough will have risen as well. The time it takes for this to happen is around 8-12-15 hours, depending on the temperature of the room in which it is left to rise and the degree of activity of the sourdough starter used.

Day 3 – 09 a.m.

Remove the butter from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature.

Day 3 – 11 a.m.

If the dough has not tripled in volume, wait until it has risen completely.
If the dough has tripled in volume, proceed as follows.
Preparation 2nd dough. Pour the 1st dough, the aroma mix and the flour into the bowl of the planetary mixer. Operate the planetary mixer at minimum speed and knead the dough with the dough hook until all the ingredients have been absorbed by the dough. Already at this stage the dough will feel like a single mass around the dough hook. Increase to speed 1 and knead a little more.
Add the sugar a little at a time (do not add more sugar until the previously added sugar has been completely absorbed).
Then add 30 g of egg yolks and allow them to be well absorbed by the dough.
Then incorporate 30 g of egg yolks and the salt and allow them to be absorbed by the dough once again.
Add the soft butter several times, always without adding more butter if the previous one has not been absorbed.
Incorporate 20 g of egg yolks and knead until completely absorbed.
Then add the water and knead for about another 5-10 minutes.
Then add the sultanas and candied fruit and knead the dough again until they have been completely absorbed.
The resulting dough will be shiny, soft and with a velvety texture that does not stick to your hands if you pinch it.
Pour the resulting dough into an airtight container, close the container and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Then turn the dough upside down on the work surface and poke (i.e. rest) it for 15 minutes.
Pirl the dough and let it rise (i.e. rest) for another 15 minutes.
Pirl again and place the dough in the panettone mould on a baking tray. Cover with cling film.
Leave to rise at a temperature of 28-30°C until it is 2 centimetres below the edge (this can take up to 12-18 hours). Then remove the cling film and let the cake rest in the air until a thin crust has formed on the surface (this will take 2-3 hours depending on the climate in the room).
Cut the crust in the middle forming a cross (use a sharp knife) and place a knob of butter in the centre.

Baking the Milanese panettone

Bake the Milanese panettone in a preheated oven at 165°C in the lower part of the oven. Bake for about 50-55 minutes. If you have a thermometer, check the internal temperature and take it out of the oven when the core temperature of the panettone is 94°C.
Take the Milanese panettone out of the oven, skewer it with needles (grandma’s knitting needles are also fine) and turn it upside down and leave it upside down for a couple of hours.
Then remove the irons from the Milanese panettone and let it cool completely (even overnight, if desired) before sealing it in a freezer-type bag or a large airtight container.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about Milanese panettone

Q: Can I make panettone without sourdough starter?

A: Although sourdough adds depth of flavour and texture to panettone, you can replace it with 10 g of instant yeast if you do not have sourdough starter. However, the result may differ slightly in taste and texture.

Q: How long does the panettone last?

A: Panettone can stay fresh for up to 10 days if stored at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer storage, you can wrap it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze it for up to three months.

Q: Can I add fruit or different flavours to my panettone?

A: Absolutely! While the traditional panettone contains sultanas, candied orange and citron, you can experiment with different ingredients such as chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts to add your own personal touch to the recipe.

Creating Milanese panettone is a rewarding experience that will amaze your loved ones and elevate your Christmas celebrations. Meticulous preparation and attention to detail will result in a soft, fragrant and delicious cake that captures the essence of the Christmas festivities. Follow Igino Massari’s trusted recipe and embark on a culinary adventure that will leave an indelible mark on your taste buds. Enjoy the magic of homemade panettone and indulge in this timeless Christmas tradition!

True Milanese panettone is incredibly soft and fragrant. How satisfying to make Christmas panettone at home.

In conclusion, panettone at Christmas in Milan is more than just a cake: it is a journey into tradition and innovation. Whether you prefer the classic panettone recipe or its intriguing variations, Milan certainly has something special to offer you.

And for sleeping in Milan? Obviously there’s us at AN Hotels

AN Hotels: your starting point for discovering Milan

When you stay at AN Hotels in Milan, you will be in the thick of the city’s Christmas celebrations. Our comfortable rooms and top-notch staff will ensure you have a pleasant stay while you immerse yourself in the festive spirit of Milan.

Stay in Milan with AN Hotels

Why not make your trip an even more special experience by staying at AN Hotels? Our location close to the city centre, but at the same time out of the hustle and bustle and immersed in the silence, will allow you to easily reach all the events and places related to Christmas, while our comfortable rooms and excellent service will make your stay in Milan a pleasure.

Experience Christmas in Milan with AN Hotels

Milan is the living stage for a top Christmas trip. Join us at AN Hotels to celebrate the change that is taking place and discover all that Milan has to offer.

Come to Milan and book your stay at AN Hotels. You will live a unique cultural experience, immersed in the charm and history of the city of Milan. Don’t wait, book your AN Hotels room today!

AN Park Hotel Settala
Email: info@an-hotels.com
Phone: +3902839901
Address: Via delle Industrie, Snc, 20090 Milano

AN Hotel Melegnano
Email: info@an-hotels.com
Phone: +390280012312
Address: Via Don Dossetti, 2 Carpiano, Milano 20074

Where to find the best panettone in Milan for Christmas: a gastronomic guide