A Brief History of the Panettone

Let’s take a look at the history and origins of one of Italy’s most loved sweet breads!

What is Panettone?

Panettone is a luscious Italian sweetbread, whose history and journey span centuries. It embodies the cultural spirit of togetherness and craftsmanship during festivities. Birthed deep within the lanes of one of Italy’s richest cities, Milan, this flatbread is usually eaten around Christmas and New Year’s, making for one of the most popular family desserts that has transcended cultural boundaries to become a symbol of holiday indulgence. The festival delicacy is not only famous in Italy but also in countries and places like Southeastern Europe, South America, Canada, and Eritrea.

The word panettone is simply derived from two Italian words – pane and ettone. Pane means bread; and ettone means big, which justifies the capacious, lofty structure, size, and shape of this bread.

Usually weighing around 1 kg, the panettone bread has a cylindrical base and takes quite a few hours to make. Despite a very similar technique used to make other breads like sourdough, what sets this panettone bread apart is its rich, buttery dough, that is often studded with candied fruits such as orange or lemon, along with raisins, and often a hint of citrus zest, creating a strong but wonderful punch of various flavors and textures in one’s mouth.

The Origins of Panettone

The origin and genesis of this bread is a well-known story in Italian folklore and legends. Legend has it that a nobleman by the name of Ughetto degli Atellani fell in love with a young good-looking girl. To woo her and win her heart, he disguised himself as a baker and made the first incarnations of the panettone bread – a sweet bread that was enriched with butter and dried fruits and raisins.

However, historically, the panettone bread traces its origins to the year 31 BC during the Roman Empire, wherein ancient Romans sweetened a type of bread with honey. Albeit, the bread’s recipe only came to light in the year 1599 when Bartolomeo Scappi, a personal chef to various popes and emperors, who also served king Charles The Fifth, is said to have written it in his manuscript.

The first recorded association of panettone with the festival of Christmas can be found in the 18th Century writings of the Illuminist Pietri Verri, who referred to the bread as a kind of luxury bread.

At the start of the 20th Century, two Milanese bakers began producing panettone in large quantities for the country of Italy. Immigrants from various other countries started liking the bread and tried to pick up the recipe. However, it was only in 1925 that Gioacchino Alemagna, a baker, adapted a new recipe to the bread, which gave it its traditional tall cupola shape.

By the end of the Second World War, the Italian flat bread was cheap enough for anyone to buy, and soon became the country’s staple Christmas sweet.

Panettone Today

With a slight crust on the outside, and a melt-in-your-mouth soft interior, the bread also tastes really good if mixed with hot cocoa or liquor. Today, in several parts of Italy, the bread is also served with cream cheese and sweet liqueur. To spread the culture of panettone, every year at the end of November, a Panettone festival is organized by Stanislo Porzio and the government in Milan, as an ode to the roots of this fluffy bread and to promote culinary talent and skill.

In conclusion, the history and origins of this bread is a tale of culinary innovation and love. From its humble beginnings in the streets of Milan, the bread today is served at almost every Christmas dinner. Italian food manufacturing companies and bakeries roughly produce about 117 million panettone cakes every Christmas, collectively worth €579 million.

While we inch closer to the year-end festive season and partake in tradition that bridges the past and the present, let’s remember to celebrate the legacy of one of the most loved Italian sweet breads, that surely makes it a timeless delight!