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Panettone vs. Pandoro – A quintessentially Italian quandary
Retour à la Gazette
Never has a dilemma been so sweet, so soft and so scrumptious. Every year between Christmas and New Year’s, Italy is torn in two, between those who find panettone the superior holiday treat and those who prefer pandoro.
Two passionate teams dueling it out at a beautifully laid festive table. The Grand Hotel Tremezzo and its chef Osvaldo Presazzi, a student of the great Gualtiero Marchesi, have decided to throw their hat in the ring and offer a third way, if you will, featuring flavor combinations that take these unique cakes to the next level. With that comes yet another dilemma – this time between zabaglione and pistachio.
“Every year between Christmas and New Year’s, Italy is torn in two, between those who find panettone the superior holiday treat and those who prefer pandoro. ”
Panettone alla crema di zabaione
Before it became the quintessentially Italian holiday treat, panettone was a signature dessert at the 15th-century court of Ludovico il Moro, the Duke of Milan. Legend has it that one fateful night the chef burned the dessert for an all-important pre-Christmas banquet. As panic broke out in the kitchen, a young kitchen apprentice named Toni grabbed the yeast dough proofing for the Christmas feast, kneaded it with eggs, flour, sugar, raisins and citrus peel, and popped it in the oven. The guests were so taken with this fragrant, fluffy pastry that they all cheered for the newly-christened “Pan di Toni”. And since that day, panettone has become one of Italy’s most treasured Christmas traditions.
Ingredients for the custard sauce:
5 egg yolks
2 tablespoons Marsala
1/2 cup (40g) superfine sugar
Method:
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, adding the Marsala gradually to the bowl, and then cook the mixture in a bain-marie or double boiler until it becomes thick and frothy. Pour the sauce over each slice or use the custard for creative plating.
