First step: freshening the sourdough. Start feeding it every 6-8 hours for 3 days before use, so that it is well fortified. This is how I fed it: 50 g sourdough starter + 80 g manitoba flour + 20 g wholemeal rye flour + 60 g water + 1 tsp honey. (The water should be at room temperature, not warm, because then the sourdough will go acidic.)
Pre-dough: Dissolve the sugar and the first batch of egg yolks, whisk in water at about 30°C, then add the leaven.
Once the leaven is mixed, add the Manitoba flour and knead until you get a sticky but stretchy dough. When the dough is elastic, add the 2nd portion of egg yolks and the 2nd portion of water. Continue kneading, then add the room temperature butter in several batches. When the first dough is ready, knead it at 22-25 degrees for about 15 hours until it has tripled in volume.
Second dough: Pour the dough into the bowl and start kneading with the flour, then add the egg yolks. Add the sugar, honey and the flavouring paste. Let it knead until the dough separates from the bowl.
In another bowl, mix the butter, melted butter, salt and vanilla and add to the dough in batches.
When the dough is ready, add the raisins and candied fruit. Toss for 1-2 minutes and then leave the dough to rest for about 1 hour.
Roll the dough on a buttered surface, shape it and put it in a panettone mould. Bake at 26-28°C for 6 hours, until three quarters of the shape has risen.
Preheat the oven to 160°C on the bottom-up baking programme.
Sprinkle the top of the panettone. Then put it in the oven, steam and bake at 160 degrees for about 45-50 minutes, until the internal temperature of the dough reaches around 92 degrees.
When the panettone is cooked, remove it, pierce it immediately and hang it up to cool so that the inside does not collapse.
Happy baking and Christmas preparations, happy holidays to all!