From tiramisu to cheese flavours, the classic Panettone is under attack
Stuffed full of candid citrus fruit and raisins, Panettone embodies the taste of Christmas for Italians at home and abroad – and for the millions around the world who have made it part of their family tradition.
But fans of the cake are having their patience tested by an array of novelty flavours, from tiramisu to peach bellini and even parmesan and black pepper.
“If you have a cheese one, what’s next, bacon?” said Cristina Onuta, the manager of Camisa, one of London’s oldest Italian delicatessen stores. “At Christmas you should really have the classic candied fruit and raisin version, otherwise how do you keep traditions alive?”
She concedes that not all the new flavours are unsuccessful, with chocolate and limoncello varieties both popular with her younger customers.
But Ms Onuta, whose family-run Soho store is due to close after nearly 100 years of history, draws the line at adding savoury elements.
‘Panettone is supposed to be sweet’
“Panettone is supposed to be sweet,” she said.
The dome-shaped sweet bread has its roots in renaissance Milan and was refined into what is now regarded as the classic modern version during the early years of the 20th century, by rival entrepreneurs Angelo Motta and Gioacchino Alemagna.
Following its early success Panettone was exported around the world by Italian migrants and for many years was available in this country only in Italian shops, until British supermarkets began selling them as part of their Christmas range.
There have been attempts to give the cake a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Protected Designation of Origin) status, such as that enjoyed by Parmesan cheese or balsamic vinegar from Modena. In Italy its production is covered by legislation on nearly all aspects of manufacture, from the leavening of the dough to the ratio of its ingredients.
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