Christmas must-haves: panettone

This traditional Italian Christmas cake will be in many British homes this festive season if past sales are anything to go by.

Panettone – the ‘big bread’ laced with raisins and orange and lemon peel - seems to have become as much a staple part of our yuletide festivities as it is in its home country of Italy.

M&S has just released what it claims is the largest panettone on the high street. Weighing in at a whopping 5kg, that’s 4kg heavier than its nearest rival, ‘Il signor’ (literally ‘the grand one’) will retail for £50. And it serves a very generous 64 people!

Made by a supplier in Milan, this version is made with vine fruits and candied citrus peel.

Over the past few years, panettone has definitely moved into the Christmas mainstream. A good indication of this is its appearance in the latest Morrisons TV ad campaign where cricketer Andrew Flintoff is ‘corrected’ on his broad Lancashire pronunciation.

Its backstory certainly helps (you can read all about the origins of panettone here), as do the presentation boxes it is usually sold in. Then there’s the increase in Christmas markets around the nation, where authentic Christmas produce from around Europe is on sale. Stollen has also seen a similar sales boost.

Perhaps another factor is that it comes in many varieties – unlike solid, reliable Christmas cake – with chocolate chip takes on the traditional recipe proving very popular.

Whatever the reasons, it will be served in homes up and down the land on Christmas Day, probably to coincide with the Doctor Who or Downton Abbey Christmas specials.

More festive essentials:

Tasty Christmas gifts for foodies
The tyranny of the Christmas pudding
The marvellous history of mince pies