Is Panettone the biggest waste of money

[Lily27]

Every Christmas, stores have the most gorgeously packaged panettone, it feels impossible not to buy at least one. And the big ones don't come cheap. My gripe is that you open it and it's nothing but eggy, vanilla flavoured fruit bread in the shape of a cake. I've used it to make French toast and it's fine, but nothing you couldn't do with a simple fruit loaf from Tesco or M&S. Panettone - a rip-off or worth it?

Aldi is your friend...

At cost of being taken as pedantic - panettone is not a cake - the cue is in the name: pane = bread - panettone = big bread - considering a cake it would be like judging pain au chocolate in the same category as Victoria sponge and finding it lacking.

A sliver of panettone with vin santo is, for me, a lovely end of a xmas lunch but I agree with PP, panettone comes to its own as breakfast bread, toasted or not, according to your own taste.

I love it!

I love it but was brought up on it - my mum used to make it more for Easter than Christmas. I do buy it here but not from supermarkets. Carluccios used to do good ones. Currently I buy them from Italian delis.
Always used to eat toasted and buttered but for some richer ones find it a bit much and prefer plain and/or dipped in something good (drinks wise).

Slather slices in marmalade, stack them in a casserole dish, slot chunks of dark chocolate between slices, cover is custard and bake. Absolutely delicious

What the hell are you trying to do to us, capricopia?? I've lost all my excess weight and here you are tempting us with things like this - as if there aren't already enough calories flying round at Christmas!!

It's still going to be a "must" though ...

I like it toasted with salty butter, it would be completely wasted in bread and butter pudding which I dislike intensely.

I love it and so do my children.

Not that I can have them anymore, but panettone takes all that is good about fruit bread and makes it better - no great heavy slabs that have to be made edible with vast amounts of lubricant/butter - fruit and spices, light, fluffy, not teeth achingly sweet.
Perfect with coffee or tea.

You sound ridiculous. “The packaging made me do it!”

Don’t like it? Don’t buy it!

@smoothieooo

I'd never had one until Carluccios brought out a gluten free version and was very excited to try it. Dry and meh as far as I'm concerned (although maybe the non-GF panettone's are the food of the Gods).

“Gluten-free bread is a bit dry - shock.”

@FelinaDaHousecat

At cost of being taken as pedantic - panettone is not a cake - the cue is in the name: pane = bread - panettone = big bread - considering a cake it would be like judging pain au chocolate in the same category as Victoria sponge and finding it lacking.

A sliver of panettone with vin santo is, for me, a lovely end of a xmas lunch but I agree with PP, panettone comes to its own as breakfast bread, toasted or not, according to your own taste.

I love it!

Yes, someone has already said that.

But they cakeify it so much, thus muddying the distinct line between cake and bread.

@StrychnineInTheSandwiches

As great as their food is the Italians just can't do cake.

What ?? Seriously, don't take Panettone as an example.

Have you ever had an Italian birthday cake ? Absolutely incredible.

Always buy a lidl one it two. Lovely. Just eat it plain in large chunks.

I always get the choc chip version, much nicer!

Nah it's fruit loaf. It's nice but can't see the excitement

They are shite. I've tried all different ones and they are a dry disappointment.

@xmastreezz, I would happily attend an Italian birthday party to check out their cake offerings!

I love pannetone. We buy one from Waitrose every year and have it for breakfast on Christmas Day. It goes particularly well with passionfruit curd! It should be moist and light, not dry.

They are Christmas in a small bready nutshell - overpriced dross that appeals to the eyes, and if you don’t get on the blandwagon you feel like you’re missing out.

I love it. I know it's traditional to slag it off and this comes up every year, but I just don't get it! It's one of the best things about Christmas for me, especially the fancy ones. Big slice for breakfast in the xmas holidays with a coffee.

I would actually rather have pretty much any nationality's christmas cake than the British version. It's much too heavy and just feels like ramming yourself with raisins and sugar. Stollen is a great alternative too.

[quote StrychnineInTheSandwiches]@xmastreezz, I would happily attend an Italian birthday party to check out their cake offerings![/quote]
Hahaha I'm obsessed with italian cakes. But I hate Panettone. I never eat it. I don't like raisins and dried fruit, so that's probably also why.

I like Pandoro, but not that great either.

But Italian cakes are so delicious ! Very light sponge, crema pasticciera, fruit and fresh cream. A little bit of liquor if that's what you're into, but it's optional.

Delicious! I recommend it, if you get a chance, try a proper Italian cake. Or a Cassata Siciliana. Delicious.

Also, Italian pasticini. On another planet. The French can take their pattiserrie and shove it. No comparison. (In my humblest opinion of course).

I'll invite you next time !

But yeah, Panettone, not so great. Well, not the traditional one anyway.

@BrightYellowDaffodil

...it's nothing but eggy, vanilla flavoured fruit bread in the shape of a cake.

You say that like it's a bad thing!

Yes!!!

Because it is actually a sweet bread, not a cake, isn't it?

I buy one of each from Lidl, cheap and pleasant enough. If you want a better one (without all the weird UK additions) you need to pay £20+, Carluccios is really nice!

The fruited one gets used for toast, with salty butter and a hot chocolate after walking the dog. The plain one gets used to make a bread and butter pudding style custard cake.

Nearest recipe I can find is Jamie Oliver www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chocolate-recipes/bonkers-bread-butter-panettone-pudding-tart/

I use all sorts of different 'bits' and a deeper cake tin, because I like to load it with custard and make a deep, wobbly pudding. Served with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce or a marmalade and wine sauce. It freezes well too.

I quite like the proper Italian ones, although I can't really get that excited about them (probably because I'm not Italian and haven't grown up with them). Not a big fan of the weird shit the supermarkets put into it though.

I've never had it toasted though. Maybe this is the year that I really fall for the stuff?

Ha - I LOVE panettone - I only discovered it a few years ago and I'm hooked. I actually spent a good while researching which were the best ones (was considering £50 from a Italian deli) - but reviews of the Waitrose standard one and their Heston Black Forrest one convinced me to buy those. But they're hardly a necessity if you're not fussed don't buy.

I used to get one with chocolate chips in then microwave for about 20secs. That was nice with the melted chocolate splices but otherwise all a bit blah.

@Capricopia

Only worth it for turning into a chocolate orange bread and butter pudding. Slather slices in marmalade, stack them in a casserole dish, slot chunks of dark chocolate between slices, cover is custard and bake. Absolutely delicious.

This! Oh God it's so lush. Mustn't forget to get one. ( although someone usually gives us one as PPs have mentioned. They're the ultimate "quick gesture" present. )