The Italian Panettone
The difference between Pandoro and Panettone.
So today we are talking about Panettone, because it is the oldest.
Just think that it was born in 1500 and it is a Milanese sweet.
The legend says that Ludovico il Moro had organized a big party, and the cook had burned the cake.
A scullion named Toni created a cake with what was left:
– dough,
– candied fruit
– and raisins.
All the enthusiastic guests asked the name of the cake and the cook answered “l’è il pan di Toni” = It’s Toni’s bread = Panettone.
Another version tells about a gentleman who was in love with the daughter of a baker and got hired by the father in order to be near his daughter and invented the cake.
A tradition also wanted a golden coin to be put in the dough, and obviously whoever would find it would be lucky in the following year.
The current shape of Panettone is from the 20’s of the last century, it is due to two of today’s biggest producers Motta and Alemagna who gave it the mushroom shape.
