Easy Peasy Pistachio Panettone Recipe

This easy peasy Pistachio Panettone recipe was originally posted on the 21st of December 2020.

When it comes to Christmas, especially in Italy, there are honestly two teams. One for Pandoro, and one for Panettone. But admittedly, the choice you have to make it’s only one: you either are team Pandoro, or you’re wrong. And don’t deserve our love. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, fine. You know us Italians, we’re very much emotional and dramatic when it comes to our food. Or our culture. Or anything, really.

But there is one thing you definitely need to do here. And that is considering my aversion to panettone: don’t listen to me rambling about being on team Pandoro or Panettone. Do yourself a favor and attempt to make this easy peasy Pistachio Panettone from my friend Martina. Who is Martina and why should we care about her, I hear you ask. Well, let me tell you a little story.

Martina has been a good friend of mine since 2013 when I initially launched this blog. We had met through a group of other Italian bloggers. And I remember vividly we had called our group the heretics of the blogging world. Mostly because we were very much against what we were told by the people running the platform our blogs were on. Once a riot girl, always a riot girl.

Of course, we had gotten so close back then. We were doing this blogging thing pretty much as a hobby. I remember chatting to these ladies sitting on my sofa in our flat in Arsenal. We were waiting – Fred and I – for our mum and Cristina to land. It was the 23rd of December. And we had to wait a long time, too, because of the bad weather and their flight was delayed. And these ladies were there to keep me company and make me laugh so much it hurt. But back to Martina.

Indulge in the rich, nutty flavors of this pistachio panettone, a festive Italian bread with a soft, buttery crumb. Topped with a luscious pistachio glaze, it’s a decadent treat perfect for the holiday season.

Who is Martina?

Martina is the writer behind Le Ricette di Libellula. She has been blogging for years now and has been doing so well, that we always refer to her. Her recipes are always on point and extremely delicious. And this pistachio panettone recipe is the proof of the pudding – see what I did there?! Okay, I’ll stop. All to say you should most definitely check out Martina’s blog.

I had originally planned a very different recipe for today. Alas, it went very awry very quickly and I completely failed it. So much so that I got annoyed at everyone for everything as if it was everyone’s fault but mine. What was it, you ask? Well, it was meant to be the recipe for an easy and fast Pandoro. Yet it was the epic fail of the year. I guess you live and learn, right? Right.

So imagine my delight, mixed with fear, when I spotted this recipe from Martina. This pistachio panettone recipe is nothing short of amazing and considering how long a panettone takes to make… Well, you only need to guess for now. I ran to the shop to get everything I needed and started. So should you by the way!

What is a panettone?

Panettone is a typical Italian Christmas sweet bread, originally from Milan. You’ll recognize it among many for its very particular dome shape on top and the paper wrapper. To me, it is one of the two main cakes you will be served at Christmas, and in a way, it smells like all things Christmas!

Panettone dates back to the Roman Empire – I know, right?! – as it resembles a lot of a type of leavened cake with honey that the Romans used to serve. But we have to wait for the very early 1900s for the first batch of panettones, produced by two Milanese bakers. One of them, Angelo Motta, was actually the one giving this bread the shape we all know and love today.

But what is a panettone, really? We’re talking about a bake that generally requires plenty of time and care. The process of proofing a panettone traditionally can take days, not only mere hours, and that is what gives this the texture and fluffiness we all know and love.

I know I am about to share the pistachio panettone recipe, but traditionally you’d be looking at candied orange, candied lemon, and raisins. Nowadays, you’ll find them with chocolate chips, chocolate cream, and even tropical candied fruits! One we absolutely love has got candied mango, candied papaya, and candied pineapple. It’s so good it hurts!

You would serve it in slices, of course, and there are also savory versions of it that need to be looked at for sure. But in the meantime, just know that a good glass of sweet wine goes oh so well with it. Some people will even dunk it in. Or even in coffee and tea, it’s such a simple yet delicious bake you definitely need to try it! There are also vegan and gluten-free versions available on the market nowadays, and some of these are definitely tasty!

Panettone vs. Pandoro, who’s the winner?

Now, I know I mentioned it often before this point, but I am a pandoro kinda-lady through and through. You need to know, the main difference between these two is the candied fruit. In terms of dough, it is very similar between the two and the shape differs from round to 8-pointed for the pandoro. And of course, pandoro is from Verona. But still in the north of Italy.

But why such a divide? Even within Italy, you will have people loving one and despising the other. Some people find pandoro too simple and buttery (it’s an enriched dough at the end of the day!) and some others just don’t like raisins or candied fruit in the panettone. Basically, you cannot please them all with one or the other. So you will be serving both, easily. Plus, to be completely honest, you can have Pandoro with Nutella, and there is nothing better than the Pandoro+Nutella+Icing Sugar combo. Fight me.

What ingredients do you need to make the pistachio panettone recipe?

Aside from flour, eggs, and sugar, you will need butter and of course, pistachios. I have followed Martina’s recipe to the T and included pistachios in the dough to have some crunch in the slice, before the actual glaze. Make sure all the ingredients are of extremely good quality, so your end product will be a great one, rather than simply good.

And when it comes to the butter, do not go cheap! The butter you use has to have a high percentage of fat in it, a minimum of 81%. This is because the higher the fat content, the better the dough.

Let’s see how each ingredient works in the recipe for the pistachio panettone:

• Strong White Flour: A key ingredient in creating the structure of the pistachio panettone, strong white flour is high in protein, essential for developing the gluten network. This gives the bread its distinctive chewy texture and allows it to hold the rich mix of butter, eggs, and sugar without collapsing;
• Eggs and Egg Yolk: Eggs contribute to the richness and moistness of the pistachio panettone. The additional yolk not only deepens the flavor but also enhances the golden color and adds to the soft, tender crumb;
• Sugar: Sugar serves multiple roles, it sweetens the bread, aids in browning, and provides food for the yeast, helping the dough rise beautifully;
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is crucial for adding a warm, aromatic depth to the pistachio panettone, balancing the richness of butter and sugar with its subtle, sweet notes;
• Dried Yeast: Yeast is essential for leavening the pistachio panettone, giving it that signature airy and light texture. It also contributes a subtle tang, enhancing the overall flavor complexity;
• Butter: Butter is the heart of the pistachio panettone’s luxuriousness. It adds a rich, creamy taste and helps in achieving the soft, silky crumb that makes each bite indulgent;
• Water: Water is the base liquid that hydrates the dough, helping to activate the yeast and bind the ingredients together. It plays a vital role in achieving the right dough consistency;
• Pistachios: Pistachios add a delightful nutty flavor and a textural contrast to the soft, buttery bread. Their subtle sweetness and earthy tones enhance the overall complexity of the panettone;
• Salt: A small but crucial addition, salt enhances the flavor of all the ingredients, balancing the sweetness and enriching the depth of the pistachio panettone’s taste profile.

Then we have a pistachio glaze on top of the pistachio panettone, and these are the ingredients:

• Fresh Cream: Fresh cream provides a rich, velvety base for the glaze. It adds a smooth texture and enhances the indulgence of the final topping of the pistachio panettone;
• White Chocolate: White chocolate introduces a creamy sweetness to the glaze, complementing the nuttiness of the pistachios while adding a glossy finish;
• Pistachio Cream: Pistachio cream is the star of the glaze, delivering a concentrated, rich pistachio flavor that ties the whole dessert together. Its creamy texture melds beautifully with the other ingredients;
• Pistachios: Chopped pistachios not only add crunch and visual appeal but also reinforce the nutty theme, making the glaze as delightful in texture as it is in taste.

How do I make the pistachio panettone?

The process itself to make this pistachio cream panettone is pretty straightforward. Once you have the dough mixed, the most important part will be the pirlatura.

Now, this process is a pretty simple one but oh so important in the making of a panettone. You will be using the palms of your hands and you will roll the dough on your working surface so that it takes a round shape. You will place your hands on the bottom of the dough and just roll it. It might be worth watching a YouTube video right here. But trust me when I say all this learning it’s completely worth it for the best pistachio panettone you will ever eat!

But let me just go ahead and share this pistachio panettone recipe with you, and if you love pistachio as much as we do… Then make sure you check these almond & pistachio cookies and pistachio loaf too!

Pistachio Panettone

Simona

An easy Pistachio Panettone from Martina at Le Ricette di Libellula. This recipe is easy, considerably fast and oh so yummy!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Sweet

Cuisine Italian

Servings 1 x 750g Panettone

Ingredients

  

For the panettone

• 500 g strong white flour
• 2 eggs medium
• 1 egg yolk medium
• 100 g sugar granulated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 g dried yeast
• 100 g butter
• 150 ml water
• 100 g pistachios shelled
• 1 pinch salt

For the pistachio glaze

• 20 ml fresh cream
• 100 g white chocolate
• 50 g pistachio cream
• 25 g pistachios

Instructions

 

• Place the flour in your standing mixer bowl and create a sort of hole in the middle: here you will place the yeast, sugar, chopped butter, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla and half the water. Incorporate well using the flat beater attachment.
  500 g strong white flour, 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 100 g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 g dried yeast, 100 g butter, 150 ml water
• Now change the attachment to the dough hook and add the leftover water and salt and let it run on medium speed for roughly 20 minutes, turning the dough upside down halfway through, and until the dough it’s elastic and smooth.
  1 pinch salt
• Add the chopped pistachios and let them mix with the dough at low speed for a couple of minutes, then turn the dough upside down and let it go again for another couple of minutes.
  100 g pistachios
• Transfer the dough on a working space and do what the Italians call pirlatura: using the palms of your hands, roll the dough so that it takes a round shape and then transfer in an oiled bowl and let it rise until it triples in size (usually two hours).
• Once it has tripled in size, transfer on the working space again and do the shaping with your palms again, then transfer in the panettone mould and let it rise until it gets to just a couple of fingers-space from the top.
• Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes, making sure to check that it’s not browning too quickly (if so, cover with some aluminium foil) and that a skewer inserted in comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
• Prepare the glaze: add the cream in a pot and let it warm up, not boil, then remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate and mix until it’s all melted and looks shiny. Add the pistachio cream and pour on the panettone, then drizzle with roughly chopped pistachios. We also added a swirl of pistachio cream on top to make it extra – we love pistachios around here.
  20 ml fresh cream, 100 g white chocolate, 50 g pistachio cream, 25 g pistachios

Notes

This panettone will keep for up to 3-5 days in an airtight ziplock bag.

If you are planning to bake this the day before serving, glaze on the day you will be serving.

Keyword pistachio panettone

Shop the panettone pistachio recipe

As I said before, panettone is technically a very difficult bake to get right. And admittedly, but also surprisingly, this was easier to make than I expected, even though the recipe said it was going to be easy: these sorts of bakes never are.

They need time and love and a constant presence, which I am not really up to right now. It’s like you have to nurture a panettone, and treat him like a baby. People take panettone baking so seriously, they will have a proper timeline in place and might even have to wake up at 1 or 2 in the morning to do all that it’s needed. While I am very proud of these people, I am not ready to join the wagon just yet.

Again, this Pistachio Panettone hits all the spots: it tasted like a proper panettone, it looked like a proper panettone, and it took more time to rest it and raise than to actually prepare it – or eat it, for that matter. The hands-on time is very minimal, but the end result will just blow your mind.

When you taste it, you can expect to be reminded of something like a brioche texture, with the addition of crunchy pistachios and a sweet topping that makes it look so professional. As if you bought it from a bakery in Italy, almost. Your family will love you forever for bringing it around for Christmas, and you will be the envy of that aunty of yours who’s been the baking queen for all these years. Sorry, but someone had to say it.

Do you have more pistachio recipes?

We do indeed! Between this blog and our sister blog, The Spaghetti Sisterhood, we have plenty of tasty pistachio recipes:

• pistachio granita: this is literally my childhood memories in a cup. I used to spend all summers in Sicily when I was a kid, and I could never have enough of granita and brioche!
• pistachio lasagna: forget about the traditional lasagna and make space for the queen of them, or how I like to call this, because this is DELICIOUS!
• homemade pistachio liqueur: there’s nothing better than this on a hot summer day, luxurious and oh so delicious and perfect to even add on ice cream or granita, should I say more?
• pistachio amaretti cookies: chewy, nutty treat with a hint of lemon zest—perfect for any occasion! Gluten free and the perfect combo of almond and pistachio flour.
• pistachio lemon cake: give me cake with the best combo, pistachio & lemon, and we can be BFFs like me and this cake are!
• almond & pistachio cookies: think like the most delicious version of the far cousin crinkle cookie and you have these!
• pistachio panna cotta: if you love a quick and easy dessert that is too delicious to pass, this is for you!

At long last, the end of this pistachio panettone recipe.

If you loved this post and you are after some Christmas cooking ideas, we have got you covered! Starting from a vegan clementine curd, the cutest stained glass window cookies, and some no-bake cookie truffles. But also a bourbon berry pie from Fred, some white chocolate fudge, a blood orange Negroni, and some mini candy cane cookies from Lynn. And if you are after a vegan main, check out this mushroom Wellington recipe with a side of satay roasted Brussels sprouts.

If you want even more recipes and gift guides to check out, last year’s Christmas collection is live and ready for more inspiration!

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