Holiday Delight: Eggnog Panettone Bread Pudding!
Maria Coassin makes Seattle holidays merry, bright and delicious. Twenty years ago, Maria’s father brought their 200-year-old panettone recipe to Seattle and our waistlines will never be the same.
Panettone (also referred to as “big bread” for the unknowing) is a sweet, delicate Christmas yeast bread made traditionally in Milan baked with fresh eggs, creamy butter, rotund raisins and delectable candied orange. Maria’s gelateria (home to her panettone) – Gelatiamo – is not just a testament to her family’s past, but a place where she pours her heart and soul. The baking process for this pillowy bread takes nearly 27 hours – including nights sleeping in her office to tend to her needy dough-babies.
This process is what infuses flavor, tradition and love into each bite of her holiday bread. Although frequently saved for dessert, I find it a perfect compliment to toast my upcoming day with a toasted slice and a piping cup of coffee. But what I hadn’t tried before, was transforming this yule loaf into a bread pudding for dessert. Should you have a little panettone left over from your holiday party? I suggest you give it a whirl:
Eggnog Panettone Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
- 4 cups panettone bread (cut or torn into 3/4” cubes)
- 4 large, fresh eggs – whisked
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Method:
- Butter 9”x9” baking dish or individuals ramekins
- Mix heavy cream, sugar, spiced rum, melted butter and spices. Heat in microwave until just warm and let “steep” for 30 minutes.
- Arrange panettone cubes in baking dish(es) and pour liquid ingredients over to submerge.
- Let stand for 1 hour. (Can be refrigerated overnight).
- Bake at 350 F for 35-45 minutes – until puffy and set in the center. Cool and top with your favorite caramel sauce and/or ice cream.
Get it while the getting’s good: Maria’s panettone can be preordered through the day today, but limited quantities should be available at Gelatiamo right up to Christmas day. After that, we can simply enjoy the holiday memories and wait until her delicious panettone is available again next November.