Lombardia

Gusta Panettone Christmas Cake

4.643 reviews

Panettone from Lombardia. 56 hours of slow leavening, sourdough starter.

$68.97

Purchase type
  • 56 hours of slow leavening, sourdough starter
  • Ships from our New York warehouse in 1-2 days
  • Free shipping over $75
Milanese cafe interior at dusk, marble tables, brass urn, panettone on the counter
Place
Lombardia sits in the north, ringed by the Alps, with the Po Plain running wide and flat below. Milan sits at its center, a city with a baker's calendar that runs beside its own. Panettone was made here first, and the Lombard winter is still where it makes the most sense.
Panettone doughs rising in paper molds, sourdough starter jar on shelf, one inverted on skewers
Process
The dough starts with sourdough starter and rises for 56 hours. No commercial yeast, no shortcuts to the texture. Each loaf cools upside down: the only way to keep the tall structure from collapsing under its own weight.
Baker hands holding inverted panettone on skewers to cool, Lombard workshop
People
The family we work with in Lombardia has been making panettone for generations. We visit in November, before the first boxes ship. This is their Christmas, and ours.

What's inside

Ingredients
Wheat flour, sultana raisins, butter (anhydrous butterfat from cow's milk), sugar, pasteurized egg yolk, natural yeast (wheat flour, water), candied citrus peel (orange and citron, glucose syrup, sugar), honey, mono- and diglycerides (emulsifiers), pasteurized whole milk, salt, natural flavors. No artificial colors. No artificial flavors.
Certifications
  • Made in Italy
Contains
Contains: wheat, milk, eggs. May contain: almonds, hazelnuts, soya.

How to use it

Slice thick. Serve at room temperature. Good alongside hot chocolate or a small glass of vin santo. Toasts well for breakfast the next day: slice it, butter it lightly, leave it in a warm pan for two minutes. Leftover slices make very good French toast.

We stock it from November through the holidays. When it's gone, it's gone until next year.

Pairs with

Questions

  • Why does this cost so much more than panettone at the grocery store?
    The supermarket version shortcuts the process. Ours takes 56 hours of slow leavening with a sourdough starter the family has maintained for years. That is what gives it the open, feathery crumb and the depth of flavor. It is not the same product at a different price point. It is a different process entirely.
  • What is natural leavening and why does it matter?
    Natural leavening uses a live sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. It takes longer (56 hours for this one), but it builds a more complex flavor and a texture that holds up over time. Commercial yeast gets the job done in a few hours. You can taste the difference.
  • Does panettone need to be refrigerated?
    No. Keep it sealed in its bag at room temperature, away from heat and direct light. Refrigeration dries it out faster. The bag is designed to keep it fresh.
  • Can I freeze it?
    Yes. Slice it first, then freeze. Thaw slices at room temperature for 30 minutes, or toast from frozen. The texture holds well.
  • What do Italians eat panettone with?
    Hot chocolate, mostly. Also vin santo, a dessert wine from Toscana, or a small glass of something sweet and sparkling from the north. At breakfast, a thick slice with butter and coffee. The next-day toast is the best version: the slight char on the edges makes it.
  • What can I do with the leftovers?
    French toast is the most common answer, and it is a good one. Also bread pudding, trifle with custard and cream, or cubes toasted in butter until golden. The richness of the dough makes it work in any preparation that calls for egg-enriched bread.
  • How is this shipped?
    Ships from the US. In-stock orders go out within 1-2 business days. Free shipping over $75.
  • What if it arrives damaged or I am not happy with it?
    Write to us. We refund within 60 days, no questions.

Reviews

Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.