There is nothing quite like the smell of panettone, the Italian Christmas bread found virtually everywhere in Italy when the holidays approach. In the U.S., it's becoming easier to find, although most of the pre-packaged ones can be dry and you should check the date to be sure it's as fresh as possible.
When you first slice or tear into it, the scent is elusive ... notes of citrus, vanilla, honey, flowers ... all mixing and separating ... first one, then another, then one gorgeous scent at once. Can you tell I love the stuff?
Last night I made a batch of panettoncini - mini panettone loaves. I usually bake a whole loaf, but after seeing all the sizes available in the Italian pasticceria OVA, on Milan's fashion street, I decided that individual ones would be perfect both for giving and for breakfast with my latte!
I'm on vacation at the moment, so will post my recipe when I return. Buon Natale!
