Celebrating the World Cup of … panettone!

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When you read Italy and World Cup in the same sentence, you automatically assume it has something to do with soccer.

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But in this instance, it’s actually the World Cup of … Panettone! Who knew there would be an international competition among the top artisanal bakers to create the best panettone in the world. For the uninitiated, panettone is a treat synonymous with the holiday season – a sweet, moist yeast bread that dates back more than 500 years to the Venetian aristocracy and has become popular world-wide, enjoyed in millions of households.

You’ve probably seen hundreds of panettone, ranging from the traditional raisins and candied citrus peel to others filled with chocolate or vanilla creams or different fruits and nuts, already lining supermarket and grocery shelves, not to mention local bakeries. Some come wrapped in paper, in gaily-detailed cardboard boxes or in beautiful tins. They come from around the world, and Canada is home to some of the most amazing panettones.

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The Panettone World Cup is the brainchild of master pastry chef Giuseppe Piffaretti, of La Bottega del Fornaio in Mendrisio Ticino, Switzerland, and organized to celebrate what is probably considered the most famous Italian leavened product on a global scale.

“The Panettone World Cup is the great event entirely dedicated to leavened products par excellence. It  was created to celebrate the history and processing of a product capable of crossing the borders of origin to establish itself on the world confectionery scene,” noted the organizing body’s website,  coppadelmondodelpanettone.ch .

This biennial competition is a three-day bake-a-thon and is dedicated to bakery and pastry professionals worldwide who are chosen only after undergoing a rigorous pre-selection. Each participant must present the jury with six traditional Milanese-style panettones that must weigh a certain amount and only follow   traditional ingredients.

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This year a couple of Canadians made it to the event: Anthony Daniele and Eric Goeury, from the Montreal-based Viva Panettone company, were among the 24 artisans who were given the opportunity to compete for world dominance in the final of the Panettone World Cup, which recently took place in  Lugano, Switzerland.

And, although they didn’t win – Italian master pastry chef Salvatore Tortora from Naples came in first, while in second place was Fiorenzo Ascolese, from San Valentino Torio, Salerno, and Tuscany’s Massimiliano Lunardi, came in third – the two Canadians said the fact they actually made it to the world cup was a win in itself.

“This is a great honour for us. The last edition had an Italian and two Swiss on the podium. We are the  new kids on the block from Canada, so it’s very exciting,” said Anthony Daniele, in a recent media release.

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“Just to be present was a tremendous achievement,” added Viva Panettone ( vivapanettone.com ) spokesperson Marie-Eve Chaume on the phone from Montreal. “First, we had to compete in North America, and we were chosen from a competition that took place in New York City. In Switzerland, our panettone was good, but the differences from one country to another were unbelievable, with strong discussion on the cultural elements, as well as the flavours and the subtleties in the aromatics used.

“All in all, it was an exciting experience, and we were so thrilled to be a part of it!” Viva Panettone, it should be noted, is available throughout Canada.

#CMPanettone #conpait #coppamondopanettone2021

Perfect Panettone

Want to make your own panettone for the holiday season? Here’s an excellent recipe from celebrity chef Ricardo Larrivee that’ll have you want to enter competitions in no time!

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Panettone

Recipe and photo courtesy ricardocuisine.com.

3/4 cup water

3 egg yolks

2 eggs

1 orange, finely grated zest only

1 lemon, finely grated zest only

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. instant dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries)

1/4 cup dark rum

In a bowl, whisk together water, egg yolks, eggs, zests and vanilla.

In a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add egg mixture and knead until dough starts to form. Add butter and knead for 5 minutes. Dough will be soft and very sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, humid place for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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In another bowl, soak dried fruit in rum, stirring several times, while dough is rising (at least 1 hour). Fold fruit and rum mixture into dough until it is completely incorporated. Pour dough into a 7-inch (18 cm) paper panettone mould. Place on a baking sheet. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, humid place for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until dough has risen just above edge of mould.

With rack in middle position, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into centre of panettone comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Insert two long skewers through paper mould and through base of panettone, making sure they are parallel. Invert and suspend panettone by skewers in a large pot. It must not touch sides or bottom of pot. Let cool completely. Panettone will keep for 1 week under a cake dome at room temperature.

NOTE: Be sure to use skewers that are longer than diameter of your pot.