Panettone Meets Panasonic: In A Bread Maker
A light, buttery and fragrant panettone loaf made in a bread maker. The shape is not traditional of course, but the brioche like dough is delicious. And it’s a lot easier than making one by hand.
An old hand at bread-making I may be, but I was a little daunted when I was recently sent an automatic Panasonic bread maker to try out. I have never used a machine to make bread before, other than an oven and I was a little concerned I would fall at the first hurdle.
In truth I’ve always been a bit wary of bread makers as I’d heard they weren’t great for the flours I like to bake with – spelt and rye.
Panasonic Bread Maker Specifications
The rather sleek machine that landed on my doorstep really didn’t look scary at all. I soon realised I needn’t have worried about my flours. This model comes with a speciality mode for the more unusual flours as well as a special kneading hook for rye bread – hooray.
Likewise it has a gluten free program which makes it accessible to pretty much everyone. In fact it seems that you can make virtually anything in this machine: big loaves, small loaves some as big as your head, even cakes and jam, it’s what the showman said.
- model SD-ZB2502
- raisin nut dispenser – additional ingredients can be placed here for automatic addition later in the baking cycle. It does not work for all programs.
- two kneading paddles, one for rye and one for all other breads.
- comes with measuring cup and spoon
- crust colour can be chosen: dark, medium or light.
- varying size loaves: medium, large or extra large.
- timer delay to enable overnight baking or something warm and delicious awaiting you when you get home from work.
The bread basket and dough paddle are easy to clean and really there’s very little fuss involved at all. I’m genuinely pleased with this bread maker. If only it would do the washing up as well.
Bread Maker Panettone
What recipe to try first was the big dilemma. It would probably have been sensible to have made a basic loaf, but hey, it’s Christmas. Perusing the rather extensive list of recipes, I saw one for panettone – decision made.
I’ve never made panettone before, or brioche, which is really the essence of the recipe. I decided to substitute the currants with chocolate. Well why wouldn’t I? I also used my own candied orange peel and thought I’d add a little orange flower water too.
But I was very careful not to mess with the quantities; I didn’t want my first machine bake to be a dismal failure.
As it turned out, there were no hurdles to fall at, well maybe just a little one. The instructions were clear and the bread maker was easy to use – phew. The slight hurdle I stumbled at was that the raisins did not come out of their dispenser. This was a little annoying.
It seems that this feature only works with some programs. As I later read, I was meant to add the raisins, along with the other additions, when I added the second lot of butter – oh well!
I removed the bread pan and turned the panettone out onto a wire rack to cool with no problems at all. I was particularly pleased that I could hardly see the hole where the paddle attachment was, a feature not shared by my mother’s bread maker.
The loaf tasted absolutely delicious anyway. CT, who is a big fan of brioche, was delighted. It was light, buttery and fragrant. I think everyone may be getting chocolate panettone for Christmas this year.
Other Brioche Style Bakes You Might Like
- Brioche bun (Sicilian style) via Christina’s Cucina
- Spiced apple challah (vegan) via Family Friends Food
- Chocolate babka via Tin and Thyme
- Kouign amman via Kavey Eats
- Strasbourg kouglof via Tin and Thyme
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate panettone, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Chocolate Panettone – The Recipe
Bread Maker Panettone
Ingredients
- 400 g strong white flour
- 4½ tbsp golden caster sugar (I used vanilla sugar)
- 1 tsp sea salt (I used Cornish sea salt)
- 120 g unsalted butter divided (50g & 70g) – cubed
- 2 medium eggs
- 200 ml milk
- 1 tsp orange flower water
- 50 g candied orange peel chopped
- 50 g raisins
- 50 g dark chocolate chips or use more raisins instead
- 1½ tsp instant yeast / fast action / easy bake
Instructions
- Weigh the flour and pour into the bread pan.400 g strong white flour
- Add the sugar, salt and 50g of butter.4½ tbsp golden caster sugar, 1 tsp sea salt
- Beat the eggs and pour into the pan along with the milk.2 medium eggs, 200 ml milk
- Add the orange flower water, candied orange peel, raisins and chocolate chips.1 tsp orange flower water, 50 g candied orange peel, 50 g raisins, 50 g dark chocolate chips
- Place the yeast in the yeast dispenser.1½ tsp instant yeast / fast action / easy bake
- Close the lid, choose the programme for brioche and wait about an hour for the machine to beep. This is the alert that it’s time to add the second lot of cubed butter – 70g this time.
- Set it on its way once again and wait a further 3 hours for the bread maker to do its thing.
- Eight beeps signals the end of the process. Remove the pan and turn the panettone out onto a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sending this Christmas Chocolate Panettone off to AlphaBakes with Caroline Makes and Ros of The More Than Occasional Baker.
I was sent a Panasonic bread maker to try out. I was not required to write a positive review and as always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support of the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
What a fantastic first use of your bread machine! Brilliant insertion of chocolate too!
Thank you Jayne. That panettone makes very nice toast too, we discovered.
I’ve had a breadmaker for years but I don’t use it enough and I’ve never had panettone! Thanks for sharing with Alphabakes.
Well you have something else to look forward to then Caroline, though I’m actually not sure I’ve ever had a real Italian one.
What a great idea for the breadmaker. I should have known you’d be creative Choclette.
Thanks Jac 😉
Gluten free bread can be pretty hit and miss in the bread maker (I also have a Panasonic), but then, it is pretty hit and miss however you make it! Your Panettone looks fab for a first bake…… Well done!!! Shame they don’t have a traditional panettone-shaped bread pan to bake it in!
Oh how frustrating for you Kate – hit and mis bread is not at all what you want. Yes, it would be great to have the correct shape for the panettone, but I am rather pleased with it anyway.
It has turned out great! I love esp. that smooth even crumb.
Thanks Angie.
I admit that bread machines are not essential bits of kitchen kit but I’d seriously miss mine if it disappeared. I probably use mine for making doughs more often than baking finished bread and it really does save me a lot of time and effort. I’m also definitely keen on the idea of a chocolate panettone.
Yes Phil, making doughs in the machine seems like a very good idea and I think I will be trying this next.
i’m so glad it worked… I do love a panettone and getting that particular texture and taste right is an art so it’s great that it was so lovely… like you, i am a dab hand at handmade bread so it’s a bit of an odd thing to me to go back to the machine… also, i was never sold on the final shape of the loaf… it just looks a bit too perfect!… still, lovely recipe. x
Phew, me too Dom. I can’t really see myself making ordinary bread in this, but for things like brioche, I can see it getting some use.
Oooh, Chocolate & Pannatone – yes please! We used to have a bread maker, they certainly do make baking lots quicker & the clean up easier!
Janie x
Yes indeed Janie – just debating what’s next 😉
You were brave to try something complicated on first use, but the bread looks delicious!
Thanks Suelle, I seem to have a habit of leaping in at the deep end!
excellent! I tried making bread with a breadmaker last year with ‘reasonable’ success, but this one sounds considerably better! (and chocolate panatonne is the way to go!)
I don’t know a great deal about bread makers Fiona, but this is certainly a step up from my mother’s. Looking forward to more chocolate panattone, but perhaps with the raisins this time.
Gosh doesn’t that sound an impressive bit of kit. I’ve never used a bread maker before but I’m most definitely admiring yours, and cannot believe the amount of functions and breads it can master!
It’s a very impressive bit of kit Lou and I have rather taken to it. Just wondering what’s next on the menu …
Thanks for sharing your experience with the bread maker. The cost would prevent me from purchasing one–being a pensioner. But i like the sound of making your own bread in this convenient way. I used to make wholemeal bread in a wood oven back in the 70s–a hippy pasttime. hehe.
Good to hear about your baking in a wood fired oven. I mostly make wholemeal bread or actually rye sourdough, but I’ve never baked it in such an oven – how wonderful.
We love our bread machine, we can just never eat the bread quick enough! This sounds like a great model.
Having delicious bread to eat is the number one problem Jenny 😉