Panettones are Italian sweet breads that share quite a similar range of ingredients as fruitcake, like candied fruit and raisins, but that’s just about where their similarities end. The traditional dish comes with a more bread-like texture as its name suggests, and boasts a buttery richness that we have paired with creamy mascarpone and fresh raspberries here.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 panettone (about 1.1 kg)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange-flavoured liqueur
- 750 g fresh raspberries
- 2 tsps icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
MASCARPONE FILLING
- 750 g mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup (40 g) icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 3 egg whites
STEPS
Make mascarpone filling: Combine cheese and sifted sugar in a large bowl. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into cheese mixture, in two batches.
Place base of panettone onto serving plate. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of liqueur; spread with ⅓ of filling and scatter with ⅓ of the raspberries. Top with another slice of panettone. Repeat to make another two layers, finishing with mascarpone filling. Refrigerate, loosely covered.
Remove panettone from refrigerator 30 mins before serving. Top with remaining raspberries; dust with sifted icing sugar.
TIP Store the reserved panettone in plastic wrap and toast for breakfast. We used grand marnier in this recipe but you could use any citrus-flavoured liqueur you like. This dessert is best made the day before or up to 5 hrs before serving to allow the flavours to develop. You can make it with all kinds of seasonal fruit – mixed berries, sliced peaches, plums, nectarines or mango would all work well.