• 2⅓ cups flour
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, barely warmed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold butter, sliced
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• ¼ cup diced dried apricots, steeped in just enough water to cover
• ¼ cup dark raisins, steeped in just enough water to cover
• ¼ cup golden raisins, steeped in just enough water to cover
• ¼ cup diced candied orange peel

Before beginning, review the steps for bread making.

Combine the flour, milk, and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and let soften for 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix, then add the salt. Mix for 3 minutes, cover with an upturned bowl or plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes. Add the butter and the orange zest. Knead the dough by hand for about 7 minutes or with a standup mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until all the butter has been absorbed and the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Turn the mixer to high speed if needed to get the dough to slap against the sides of the bowl. Drain the dried fruits and mix them and the orange rind into the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap pressed against the surface of the dough. Let rise at room temperature for about 3 hours, or for about 1 hour and then overnight in the refrigerator, or until it increases in volume about 50 percent.

Press down the dough, shape it into a ball, and push in any protruding fruit to prevent it from burning. Place the dough in a paper ring so it will hold its shape. (If you can’t find the traditional paper holders, improvise one with some parchment paper and scotch tape.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap touching the surface and let rise for about 2 hours at room temperature, or until doubled in volume.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for about 1 hour, or until golden brown on top and 185°F in the center. If the top starts to brown too much before the panettone is done, cover it with aluminum foil. Let cool on racks.

1. Peel 3 oranges in strips, cover with water, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, cover with water, boil, and drain again.

   

2. Put the peels back in the saucepan with 1 Cup sugar and 2 Cups water.

   

3. Simmer very gently for 40 minutes.

   

4. Save the peels in their cooking liquid.

   

Making Panettone

1. Stretch the once fermented and punched down dough on the work surface and sprinkle over the candied orange rind, the apricots, and the raisins.

   

2. Knead the apricots, raisins, and orange rind into the dough, then stretch the dough out so the fruit is evenly distributed.

   

3. Shape the dough into a ball. Put the dough in a paper mold to rise. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap.

   

4. When the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic and bake until golden brown.