How to choose the right panettone?
How to choose a panettone?
Panettone is a delicious specialty that has crossed borders from Italy to find a place in the hearts of the French. And if you're a fan, you might want to know how to properly select the panettone you'll soon be enjoying with your family? But then, how exactly do you choose a panettone? That's the question Christophe Louie is addressing today!
The first criterion: a sourdough panettone
It's the beating heart of traditional panettone. Natural sourdough, carefully nurtured and mastered, gives panettone its stringy texture, its incomparable lightness, and that distinctive aromatic depth. A panettone made without sourdough, with industrial yeast, in a way "betrays" the very spirit of this Milanese specialty.
Natural sourdough requires time, experience, and constant attention. It allows for slow fermentation and a unique crumb structure, capable of retaining its softness for several days without the addition of preservatives. If only one criterion were to be chosen, this would be it. Thus, it's impossible to explain how to choose a panettone without addressing this primordial aspect!
At Christophe Louie, this sourdough is alive, maintained daily, and partly inherited from an Italian master panettone maker. It guarantees a genuine panettone, faithful to its origins, but reinterpreted with a French sensibility.
The appearance of the crust
Even before cutting the first slice, panettone is judged by its appearance. A well-developed, slightly domed crust, uniformly warm brown, is the sign of perfectly controlled baking. It should give off a subtle aroma, both buttery and slightly caramelized, almost honeyed.
A crust that is too pale can indicate underbaking or under-fermented dough. Conversely, a crust that is too dark or dry can signal excessive baking, at the expense of the crumb's tenderness.
An unmistakable detail, as with bread, is the sound. The crust of a good panettone should crackle slightly when pressed between the fingers, revealing a fine surface tension due to the dough's correct hydration.
The choice of ingredients
Panettone is an ode to the quality of raw materials. Flour, butter, eggs, candied fruits... Each ingredient plays a fundamental role in the final balance. Where industry favors artificial flavors and lower quality fruit, artisanal excellence, such as that offered by Christophe Louie in his Parisian establishment, values the sincerity of flavors.
Some panettones, like Christophe Louie's, go even further with top-quality ingredients: free-range eggs, natural vanilla, local honey, and even collaborations with confectioners or local producers for the fruits. It is in this attention to every detail that a genuine approach is recognized.
Choosing a good panettone is therefore much more than choosing a delicacy. It's choosing a living, demanding product, born of true savoir-faire. So, now that you know how to choose a panettone, don't hesitate to discover Christophe Louie's artisanal specialties in his Parisian establishment or on our online store.