It’s the holiday season and time for all the delicious seasonal foods, especially sweets. The Christmas treat I look forward to each year is panettone, a Christmas bread from Italy that I love paired with sparkling wine.
The other Christmas bread that Italians adore is pandoro. Two desserts, both delicious —which should you choose? The answer is easy…choose both! Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without them. To help you make your decision, here’s a little history…
Pandoro And Panettone
Pandoro originated somewhere near Verona, with recipes dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The name pandoro means golden loaf. In 1894, Melegatti, a Veronese pastry chef, was given the first patent to mass-produce pandoro. Made primarily of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, it obtains its golden color from egg yolks. Pandoro has a distinct star shape and is dusted with powdered sugar. Because it is not too sweet, it is often served with cream, chocolate, berries, or syrup.
Verona arena with shooting star at Christmas. image by Gianni Crestani on pixaby
Panettone is believed to have originated in Milan (the home of another delicious dish, risotto) in the 19th century. However, there is evidence it has been produced since the 15th century. Italians are so serious about their panettone that 7100 tons of panettone are produced annually. That’s a lot of panettones!
Since 2005, the production of panettone has been subject to a strict authentication process. Nevertheless, you can find panettone produced in South America, but there is no guarantee of the production quality.
The significant difference between panettone and pandoro is that panettone has dried citrus fruit and raisins. If you don’t like dried fruits then your choice between panettone or pandoro is easy. Pandoro is your answer.
Side note: leftover panettone is also delicious sliced and made into french toast. Yum!
Both of these holiday treats are great with coffee or tea. However, if you want to serve something a little more festive pair a sparkling wine like prosecco or Moscato. Moscato is a sweet wine that is very low in alcohol at only 5%. Prosecco is made in a variety of styles from dry to extra dry but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sweet. Read my article about Prosecco to discover the different styles of Prosecco. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
Lambrusco could also be a nice option, especially if you like red wines. It’s sparkling, fruity, and sweet and today it is no longer a cheap wine made for export. Check out my IG live chat with Alicia Lini, the export manager for Lini910, one of the oldest and best Lambrusco producers in Italy.
Where To Buy Panettone And Pandoro
The Italian Christmas cake tradition has so infiltrated the United States that most major grocery store chains carry panettone, but you’ll likely find pandoro too. Another retailer that carries Italian Christmas cakes is Cost Plus World Market. I’ve also seen them at Trader Joe’s.
If there’s a local Italian market in your neighborhood or city I recommend buying your cake there. And if you’re lucky enough to have an Eataly in your city, you’ll have too many choices. Eataly also ships.
Of course, the ultimate place to buy and enjoy Italian desserts and wines would be Italy. Wherever you are, I wish you a holiday season filled with friends, family, and all the traditions that have meaning for you. Me, I’ll be eating some panettone in Dallas and washing it down with a nice prosecco. Merry Christmas!
4 comments
Sal de Riso. I get a couple pannetone shipped every year. They are expensive, but not overpriced.
Is there a place in the US where one can order a panettone from Sal de Riso?
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