Panettone is a welcome addition at this time of the year, and makes a brilliant mid-morning snack with coffee that only really seems acceptable at Christmas,
Wrapped in paper, vibrant foil or in jazzy tins, panettone also makes a lovely gift.
You can, if there are any nearby, buy from an Italian deli or cafe but panettones are also available in all the main supermarkets and it’s some of these that I tried to find out which was the best, and worst.
From the classic to very sweet and chocolatey, here’s what I thought of the ones I tasted.
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Housed in an orange-topped box, this panettone is one for the zest lovers as it’s made with candied Sicilian orange peel, butter and candied Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP Sicilian blood orange paste, and topped with hazelnut frosting, sugar strands and almonds.
It’s, as the description alludes to, very citrus forward and soft. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the sugar strands, but it is a bit dense. 3/5
A traditional panettone from the Finest range, starts well with a rich yellow colour studded with fruit and peel.
This classic, which wasn’t too dense or dry, was the best panettone we tried, though it was tough to call. 5/5
Housed in a jazzy, Italian-inspired tin, this is another panettone that’d make a lovely gift this Christmas.
This is a slightly sweeter panettone with sugar crystal decorations and a hazelnut frosting.
For me this one was a bit too sweet, and quite dry. 2.5/5
This panettone is a big hit of Christmas, and has a salted caramel sauce filling and salted caramel fudge pieces, with a sachet of mixed spice flavoured icing sugar.
It’s pleasant, very ginger-forward but very sweet. It won’t appeal to traditionalists, but might to those looking to try something less classic. 3/5
This one has all the ingredients I love, panettone and hazelnuts.
While there’s not a big hazelnut hit, it’s soft and light and not too sweet. The rich and smooth hazelnut crème running through it is a nice addition as are the roasted hazelnuts on top.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, this would be the one I’d choose. Plus is comes in a lovely pink patterned tin. 4/5
This rich yellow panettone comes in a lovely pink tin, which doesn’t screen Christmas so can be used any time of the year and would make a lovely gift.
It;s stuffed full of fruit and peel and is rich and buttery, just what you want. My only complaint is that it was a wee bit too dense. 4.5/5
This panettone is combining two classic Italian sweet treats, and should work.
Sadly there’s too strong a coffee (and more instant rather than espresso) taste that overpowers everything. But, it isn’t too sweet. 2/5
Buy in store.
This classic panettone looked great, with plenty of fruit, although a bit heavy on the peel.
Sadly it was a bit on the dry side. 3/5
This mini panettone is an ideal treat for one and it's a departure from the classic with the addition of cherry and chocolate.
The panettone was studded with chocolate chips and dried cherries, and the texture was light and soft. It wasn't too sweet and it didn't taste artificial.
I really enjoyed this little addition and would definately buy it again. 4.5/5
