The arrival of Panettones at Tenuta’s and stores around the world heralds the beginning of the Christmas season. Italians have eaten this mildly sweet, fruit-studded bread since the Middle Ages. When something has been enjoyed for centuries, it’s hard to know its true origin. There are a number of tales, from a nobleman’s attempt to woo a baker’s daughter to Duke Ludovico’s chef serving bread made by a scullery boy. Regardless of its beginnings, the hallmark of a good panettone is a tall, golden brown dome, a rich yet airy interior with an abundance of candied fruit, citrus, and/or chocolate chunks.

The best panettones are labor-intensive and take a long time to produce. It’s not something just anyone can do; there is a lot of skill involved. Through the ages, more and more butter has been added to the dough. While that makes a deliciously tender and silky bread, it also makes the dough much more difficult to work with. It also takes longer for the bread to proof (rise) because of the added butter but also because of the slow-acting yeast used. There are faster working yeasts but the slower a bread takes to rise, the more flavor is created. So, the best panettones, like Chiostro di Saronno Organic Panettones, use slower activating yeasts for this reason.

Our selection of panettones is a delightful addition to your holiday table. Some of our top sellers range from $3 for a mini panettone to $40 for full-size panettones.

If you haven’t cut into your panettone, you can keep it sealed in its package for 4 to 6 months at room temperature. Once you cut it, it will have a tendency to dry out pretty quickly if not carefully wrapped in an airtight container, plastic wrap, or a sealable bag.