Chocolate Panettone (Machine or Oven)
The good news is this delicious Chocolate Panettone recipe is vegetarian, nut-free, and, with some substitutions, dairy-free.
Chocolate Panettone is characterized by its tall, domed shape and golden-brown crust, concealing a soft and fluffy interior punctuated by pockets of melted chocolate. The dough, enriched with eggs, butter, and sugar, is kneaded and allowed to rise until it reaches its full volume, resulting in a light and airy texture that melts in the mouth.
This beloved sweet bread is currently used in some of our recipes, so adding a homemade version compared to spending $20 plus for a good-quality store-bought makes a lot of sense. For instance, check out this store-bought Panettone Chocolate Italian Sweet Bread that we highly recommend for convenience if time doesn’t permit you to make your own.
How much does a homemade version cost? Probably around $5-$6. We think it pays to make your own, don’t you?
Here are some indulgent recipes that use panettone. We think you’ll love Italian Bread And Butter Pudding, a dazzling no-bake Italian Christmas Pudding Cake, and the delightful dessert that combines layers of rich fruity flavors Panettone Winter Bombe.
What’s To Love?
- Quick and easy to prepare when using the breadmaker.
- Doesn’t require any complex cooking skills when using the breadmaker.
- No hard-to-find ingredients.
- It makes an excellent gift during the holiday season, especially if homemade.
- There’s something inherently comforting about a chocolate panettone.
- Panettone is a staple during Christmas and New Year celebrations in Italy and many other parts of the world. The chocolate version adds a luxurious touch to festive tables, making it a special treat for holiday gatherings.
- The addition of chocolate makes panettone even more appealing to children and those with a sweet tooth.
- Is a surefire crowd-pleaser that will have everyone wanting more.
- Offers a deep, satisfying chocolate taste that chocolate lovers adore.
- Great for making in advance.
Have you already tried Chocolate Panettone? If so, let us know how it was…we can’t wait to hear all about it!
Panettone Origin
The origins of Panettone are traced back to Italy, particularly the city of Milan. While its exact inception is shrouded in legend and folklore, Panettone’s roots can be traced to the Middle Ages, when it evolved from humble beginnings to become the iconic holiday bread we know today.
One popular legend revolves around a nobleman named Ughetto degli Atellani, who fell in love with Adalgisa, the daughter of a poor baker named Toni. In an attempt to win her heart, Ughetto disguised himself as a baker’s apprentice and created a sweet bread with flour, eggs, butter, and candied fruits, which became known as “Pan de Toni” or Toni’s bread. The bread was a hit, and Ughetto and Adalgisa’s love story spread throughout Milan, popularizing the sweet bread as a symbol of love and celebration.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
We feel every ingredient adds to the overall taste and texture; if you remove one, it’s like you’ve removed them all.
- Yeast — use fast action yeast for best results.
- Bread — only use strong white bread flour.
- Sugar — use golden caster sugar.
- Salt — use Himalayan salt; it brings out the flavor and offsets the sweetness.
- Eggs — use large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract — use Nielsen Massey, which is made with real vanilla beans. The vanilla is quite potent and adds a beautiful richness to desserts.
- Milk — use full-fat whole milk and it needs to be lukewarm.
- Butter — for the best results, regular butter is recommended.
- Chocolate — use dark chocolate chips. Other good-quality brands are Ghirardelli, Guittard, Valrhona, or Callebaut.
- Zest — use an orange.
- Powdered Sugar — use powdered sugar, also called icing sugar in some countries.
For more detailed ingredients, see the recipe card.
Customizations
Here are some foodie alternatives should you want to make some changes:
- Chocolate — use chopped whole chocolate or a dairy-free alternative.
- Butter — a great alternative is dairy-free butter.
- Milk — use a thick dairy-free alternative such as soya, cashew, or oat milk.
When substituting ingredients, it’s essential to remember that the taste, texture, and overall result might differ, particularly if you’re substituting many ingredients.
If you have made the Chocolate Panettone with any customizations, we’d love to hear about it; please message us in the comments.
Instructions – Overview
There are two ways to make this delightful sweet bread: using a breadmaker or kneading and proofing by hand. Make the panettone in whichever way you feel most comfortable. We used the breadmaker for the dough and then the oven to cook.
Breadmaker:
▶︎ The breadmaker is simpler to use, though if you bake the panettone in it, it won’t produce that beautiful round look that you’re accustomed to seeing. A square or rectangle panettone is probably perfect for everyday baking, but going the extra mile and baking it in the oven in a round pan could be for special occasions.
▶︎ Either way, it’s worth mentioning that the milk needs to be warm and mixed with the eggs and vanilla before adding it to the dry ingredients. The chocolate chips need to be added after the dough setting has finished. Avoid using the dispenser; if you do, it won’t create those chocolatey pockets that everyone loves.
By Hand:
▶︎ Making bread by hand is as straightforward as making any other bread loaf. However, the milk needs to be warm and mixed with the eggs and vanilla before adding it to the dry ingredients.
▶︎ When making bread by hand, it needs to be kneaded and proofed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Afterward, place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
▶︎ Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a well-greased panettone mold. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for another 1-2 hours until it reaches the top of the mold.
For more detailed instructions, notes, and ideas…see the recipe card.
Easy Chocolate Panettone
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) to the pan according to the manufacturer's recommendations. We use a Panasonic bread maker so the yeast needs to go in first, but not all machines are equal.
Note: Mix the eggs, vanilla, and warm milk before adding to the pan. 7 grams Dried Yeast, 500 grams Strong White Bread Flour, 150 grams Golden Caster Sugar, 1 tsp Himalayan Salt, 4 large Large Eggs, 250 ml Milk, 150 grams Butter, Zest of 1 Orange, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract - Set the setting to dough only.
- When the dough setting has finished, add the chocolate chips and combine well.300 grams Dark Chocolate Chips
- If you're not using a panettone pan and prefer to carry on using the breadmaker, then set the machine to bake only and light crust.
- If you're using a panettone pan, grease and line it. Add the dough.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let it stand in a warm draft-free place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
- Place in a preheated oven Gas 4, 180℃, 350℉.
- Firstly, bake for 35 minutes. Then, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Ensure the bread is fully baked through by testing with a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center. If the skewer comes out clean, the Panettone is ready.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool in the mold for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, dust the top of the panettone with powdered sugar.
- Serve and enjoy!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and warm milk.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture.
- Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Add the softened butter and continue to mix until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and orange zest until evenly distributed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a well-greased panettone pan or a deep cake tin lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for another 1-2 hours until it reaches the top of the mold.
- Preheat the oven to Gas 4, 180℃, 350℉.
- Once the dough has risen, bake for 35 minutes. Then, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Ensure the bread is fully baked through by testing with a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center. If the skewer comes out clean, the Panettone is ready.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool in the mold for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, dust the top of the panettone with powdered sugar.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients, including good-quality chocolate, fresh eggs, and butter. The quality of the ingredients will greatly influence the flavor and texture.
- Mix and knead the dough thoroughly to develop gluten and achieve the desired texture. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
- When adding chocolate chips distribute them evenly throughout the dough when it’s finished doughing. Mixing in the chocolate chips at the end gives you control over the distribution.
- Pay attention to temperature when proofing the dough and allowing it to rise. The ideal proofing temperature is around 26-28°C (78-82°F).
- Tent it loosely with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent over-browning if you’re using the oven method.
- Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the mold for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chocolate Variations: You can use different types of chocolate based on your preference. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate can be used in Chocolate Panettone. Choose high-quality chocolate for the best flavor.
- Replace Chocolate: To make a classic panettone, replace the chocolate chips with 100g candied orange peel, 100g candied lemon peel, and 100g raisins.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free bread flour and for best results use the dough setting on the bread machine and bake in the oven.
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter and a creamy milk such as cashew milk.
Want to make the best Chocolate Panettone?
We can’t fault this versatile Panasonic Breadmaker. It’s a great machine and has never failed us in all the years of owning it; the bread always turns out perfect, it has a handy raisin and nut dispenser, gluten-free programs, looks great in the kitchen, has 30 automatic settings with a selection of pre-set recipe programs.
Check out our favorite kitchen equipment that we love to use with all our recipes.
Storing
See our FAQs for detailed instructions on storing, refrigeration, freezing, and defrosting and for answers to readers’ questions.
Do you have a question? If so, let us know in the comments and we’ll reply within 24-48 hours and add your question to our FAQs if relevant.
Pairing
Chocolate Panettone is frequently eaten as a standalone, but it can easily be paired. Here are some suggestions and our favorite go-to’s what to eat with it:
▶︎ For those who love chocolate, serving it with chocolate sauce such as Nutella is particularly fabulous. The silky-smooth chocolate complements the chocolatey notes of the bread, making it an extra decadent treat.
▶︎ Another great option is to spread your favorite butter or cream cheese over a slice.
More Recipes
Here are some other delicious recipes that we think you might also like:
Thank you for checking out Chocolate Panettone!
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⭐️ Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand. Voila…you’re all set to go!
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FAQ’s & Troubleshooting
By addressing these FAQs and troubleshooting tips, you can overcome common challenges and create a delicious batch of Chocolate Panettone every time.
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For food safety top tips, check out USDA.gov.
Hey, I’m Sharon, I’m a full-time food blogger, mother of 3 grown adults and 3 huskies. Most days you can find me in the kitchen creating new recipes, I love cooking indulgent bakes and love sharing them. I am lucky to connect with and inspire people from all around the world and help you on your cooking journey so you can eat in style!
