4 1/2 to 5 1/2 c. unsifted flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. butter
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. chopped citron
1/2 c. seedless raisins
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1 tbsp. anise seeds
1 egg
1 tbsp. water

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt and undissolved dry yeast.

Combine milk, 1/2 cup water and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are warm. Butter does not need to melt. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 3 eggs and 1/2 cup flour, or enough flour to make a thick batter. Beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in citron, raisins, pine nuts, and anise seeds. Add enough additional flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Cover and let rise again until almost double, about 30 minutes.

Punch dough down again. Turn out onto lightly floured board. divide in half and form into round balls. Place on opposite ends of a greased baking sheet. Cut a cross 1/2 inch deep on top of each ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water. Use to brush tops of cakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 cakes.

Having no pine nuts, I used chopped pecans in the Panettone, and decorated the cakes with pecans and slices of prepared orange and grapefruit peel. Chopped peel instead of citron was very good in the Panettone.

Peel orange and grapefruit. Boil peel in plain water. Pour off water. Repeat. If you like it rather sweet, boil a third time with water and some sugar (1/4 cup?) until water is almost gone. Drain, let cool. Good for a snack, too, as well as for decorating and flavoring.

I scraped off some of the white soggy membrane of the fruit peel at this point.

This is a favorite Italian festive sweet bread, very good with Spumanti later in the day, or evening, or even with coffee or tea for breakfast.