Mini Apricot Cranberry Panettones

Who says panettone can only be enjoyed during the holidays?  Well we're getting close to Easter time anyway.  I had pinned a version of mini panettones a long time ago, so long that the recipe is no longer there, and it was kind of a cheat recipe with no gluten development anyway.  But I did make a sourdough panettone a few years back and it was sublime!  This month's challenge of a bread with fruit brought the idea back to the table for me.  I still have never had a store bought version, but people tell me that homemade is definitely superior.  This version is not quite as much work as the sourdough, but I very much appreciated the experience and tips learned from making that one, since panettone dough is a very slack dough.  If you try to rush it, you will end up with a mess instead of a beautifully strong, slack dough.

When the dough is built in order with the proper timing: strengthening the gluten, then adding the butter, then the final liquid, the resulting dough is quite unique in texture.  If you have kids, you could compare it to a slime.  So, kind of a colloid or a gel.  Pretty cool.  Speaking of cool, I do not recommend trying to make panettone by hand.  A stand mixer is your friend here, and even that motor is going to get a bit warm after all the mix time.

The finished rolls are so soft and squishy, and the crumb remains soft and beautifully moist the next day.  Be very gentle when removing them from the tins, as this recipe doesn't hang them upside down to preserve the crumb as with traditional panettone.  (But it's also more forgiving that way.)  Still, allow that rest time for the crumb to gel and set just a little before unmolding.  My whole kitchen smelled phenomenal while building the dough and baking these off. 

You could start the sponge the night before for a more traditional method, reducing the yeast down to half a teaspoon or less and leaving at room temp overnight with a pinch or so of yeast, or in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.  This would develop even more flavor and the breads would keep just a little longer.  It will also be more likely to give a somewhat larger crumb structure as is found in traditional panettone.

Mini Apricot Cranberry Panettones
makes 8-10 jumbo muffin sized breads

Sponge:
120g warm milk (105°F to 115°F) (120ml,  ½ cup)
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
130g flour (1 cup)

Final dough:
228g bread flour (1¾ cups)
7g sea salt (1 tsp)
2 eggs (100g)
2 egg yolks (28g)
99g granulated sugar (½ cup)
113g butter, cut up and softened (½ cup)
32g milk (32ml, ~2 tbsp + ½ tsp)
1 orange (2 tsp zest, 4 tbsp juice)
1½ tsp vanilla (7g) (use vanilla paste for beautiful speckles in the dough)
50g dried cranberries (½ cup)
60g dried apricots, chopped (½ cup)
20g chopped candied ginger (2 tbsp) (I used both ginger and candied yuzu peel)

1 tbsp melted butter (14g) (for brushing before baking)
1 tbsp rum (or orange juice) (for brushing after baking)

Glaze:
3 tbsp orange juice (or 2 tbsp OJ + 1 tbsp rum)
2 cups powdered sugar 
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted (or minced candied ginger)

Prepare the poolish/sponge:

In a bowl, stir together 120g milk and yeast until yeast dissolves. Stir in 130g (1 cup) flour.  Cover and let rest 1-2 hours in a warm place, or until soft and puffy. Butter two jumbo muffin tins and set aside.

To the sponge, add the bread flour, salt, 32g milk, eggs, yolks, orange zest, and vanilla.  Mix on low speed until combined, about 3 minutes.

Increase mixer speed to medium and start adding the sugar in four additions, mixing for 2 full minutes between additions.

Continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the gluten is almost fully developed.  (About 3-5 minutes)

Turn the mixer back to low speed and add the pieces of softened butter. Mix for a minute on low speed, then on medium speed until the butter is completely incorporated into the dough and the gluten has reached full development.

On low speed, add the dough orange juice, 2 tbsp at a time, until fully incorporated.

On low speed, add the cranberries, apricots, and candied ginger and mix just until they are evenly distributed.

Cover the dough and allow to rise for an hour.

Turn the dough out onto a buttered or oiled surface and divide into 8-10 equal portions.  Roughly form them into a ball and let rest for 20 minutes.

Using a bench scraper to round and pull in the edges as you pull the dough toward you, shape each portion into a tight ball and place into the prepared muffin wells.

Cover with waxed paper and let rise in a warm place until dough is almost at the rims (about 1 hour).  (Dough will be close to the rims already with 8, slightly under with 10.  Let crest a little over the rims for 8 pieces.)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Brush the tops of the dough balls with melted butter.  Bake about 20 minutes or until golden. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in centers should register 190°F.)  Let cool in the tins for 5 minutes.  Unmold onto wire racks.  Brush tops with rum while warm.  Allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl stir together the powdered sugar and the 3 tbsp orange juice to desired spreading consistency. Spread each panettone with icing.  Sprinkle with toasted, sliced almonds or minced candied ginger. 

Dough consistency 👆

My dough almost popped the lid off the dough bucket!

I just eyeballed these to divide, which was easiest
given how slack the dough is.  But you could 
certainly weigh them out if desired.

Pulled taught with the bench knife and carefully
slipped into the well buttered tins.

Amazingly soft and squishy!

Just thick enough to hold the topping and still
run down the edges a little bit.

Beautifully rich and soft, a wonderful treat.

Be sure to check out the rest of our fruited bakes: 

•  Apple Crisp Sourdough Loaf:  Sneha's Recipe
•  Fig Bread Recipe:  The Wimpy Vegetarian
•  Mini Apricot Cranberry Panettones:  A Messy Kitchen
•  Oat and Raisin Quick Bread (Gluten Free):  Passion Kneaded 
•  Pan di Ramerino (Rosemary Raisin Buns):  Karen's Kitchen Stories 
•  Pecan Banana Bread Mini Loaves:  Food Lust People Love  
•  Pumpkin apple sourdough Loaf:  Zesty South Indian Kitchen 
•  Sourdough Blueberry Breakfast Loaf:  A Day in the Life on the Farm

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.