Easy Motta Panettone Bread Pudding
Contributed by: News Canada
Enjoy a slice of Italy this holiday season
(NC) - For several hundred years, Italians have enjoyed panettone as part of traditional holiday celebrations. From its legendary romantic beginnings to today's light, sweet cake loved the world over; panettone offers Canadians a delicious slice of Italian holiday tradition.
Legend has it that panettone was the creation of a knight who once passed himself off as an assistant to a baker to win over the baker's daughter. Another version of the story tells of a Milanese baker named Toni who disguised a burned Christmas cake by garnishing it with candied fruit and raisins. The loaf was a hit and became known as "pane del Toni" (Toni's bread).
Despite humble beginnings, panettone has become a holiday tradition enjoyed not just by Italians, but also by people around the globe. In 1919, Milanese baker Angelo Motta "invented" the modern version of the cake by wrapping it in thin paper so it would bake taller. During the 1920s, Motta added raisins and candied fruit to the recipe as a way of differentiating his cakes.
The popularity of Motta's panettone grew and in the 1980s he decided to raise the bar again. This time, he created a decadent new type of panettone with a delicious chocolate filling and coating, called tartufone. A third variety, the pandoro cake, contains no fillings and is served with a dusting of icing sugar.
Today, Motta Panettone is the top-selling brand in Italy and is available at grocery retailers across Canada beginning in November in time for the holidays. The time-honoured recipe uses a natural sourdough leavening process resulting in a very soft, fluffy cake that stays fresh for an extended period without the use of preservatives.
With a mildly sweet flavour and moist, spongy texture, panettone is traditionally given as gifts and served as dessert. It can also be enjoyed alongside a cup of tea or coffee, for brunch, or in your favourite french toast recipe.
(NC) - This simple dessert is made with panettone, a moist, mildly sweet Italian cake traditionally served as dessert during the holiday season. Available at grocery retailers across Canada in November, panettone is an easy way to add international flavour to your holiday table.
Ingredients:
- 1 Motta Panettone Cake 1.6lb/750g cut into 1-inch cubes 2.5 cm 9 eggs 9
- 3 cans (385 ml each) 3 Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 150 ml
- 1/4 cup butter, melted 60 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla 5 ml
- ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Place panettone cubes into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in evaporated milk, sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Pour over the panettone cubes, pressing panettone into the milk mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Bake for 90 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
Serving Size: Makes 12 - 16 Servings
Nutritional Information: Per 1/16 Serving: about 370 calories, 11 g protein, 17 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate
