Ingredients for 2 panettoni (750 g each) or 3 panettoni (500 g each):

• 3 cups of bread flour
• 1 cup of whole eggs
• 1 ½ cups of raisins
• ¾ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ sticks of butter plus extra for greasing
• 2/3 cup of candied orange peel
• 3.4 ounces of water
• 3 tablespoons of egg yolks
• 1/3 cup of candied citron
• 2 ½ tablespoons of acacia honey
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 0.2 ounces of fresh yeast
• Grated zest of 2 oranges
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon of rum

Instructions:

Preparatory Steps:

1. Three days before making the panettone, prepare a mixture of flavors by combining 2 tablespoons of acacia honey, the grated zest of 2 oranges, the grated zest of 1 lemon, seeds from 1 vanilla bean, and 1 tablespoon of rum. Leave this mixture covered at room temperature.
2. Soak the raisins in 8.5 ounces of water and let them soften for 2-3 hours. Change the water a couple of times during this process. The raisins will plump up and become soft. Drain them and place them on a kitchen towel to dry; they should be dry and not wet when you use them.
3. Remove the fresh yeast from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before using it.
4. Take the butter out of the refrigerator when you start making the first dough (biga). It should reach the right temperature and consistency by the time you need to incorporate it into the third dough.

The First Dough (Biga):

1. Dissolve 0.1 ounces of fresh yeast in 0.7 ounces of water and mix it with a pinch of sugar (0.03-0.2 ounces) and 1.05 ounces of bread flour. Form a dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise at a temperature of 78-82°F until the mixture has doubled in volume (about 1.5 hours).

The First Dough:

1. Transfer the risen biga to a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment) and add 0.4 ounces of egg yolks, 1.3 ounces of water, 0.2 ounces of granulated sugar, and 1.94 ounces of bread flour. Mix the dough until a smooth ball forms. Transfer it to a clear container to monitor the dough's growth and let it rise again at 78-82°F for about 2 hours, until it triples in volume. Place a rubber band around the container at the starting level of the dough to easily gauge when it has tripled in volume.

The Second Dough:

1. Take the risen dough from the previous step and add 0.4 ounces of egg yolks, 1.5 ounces of water, 3.5 ounces of bread flour, 0.1 ounces of fresh yeast, and 0.2 ounces of granulated sugar. Mix in the stand mixer until all ingredients are well incorporated, forming a smooth and homogeneous dough. Allow it to rise at 78-82°F in the clear container until it quadruples in volume (about 3-4 hours).

The Third Dough:

1. Return the dough from the second step to the stand mixer and add 0.2 ounces of egg yolks, 9.5 ounces of whole eggs, 18.7 ounces of bread flour, 3 ounces of granulated sugar, and the prepared flavor mixture. Add 5.3 ounces of butter in small pieces, one at a time, making sure each addition is well incorporated before adding more. Finally, add 0.35 ounces of salt and mix until the dough is smooth, elastic, and able to form a "veil" when stretched without breaking.
2. Incorporate the dried raisins and candied citron into the dough for a few seconds to distribute the new ingredients evenly. Then, transfer the dough onto a work surface.

Dividing and Shaping:

1. Divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions, depending on the capacity of your baking molds, and let them rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 40 minutes.

Shaping:

1. Take each portion of dough, round it by rolling it between your hands without adding flour. This will give the dough a compact shape, allowing it to better contain the raisins and candied fruits during rising and baking.

Rising in the Molds:

1. Place the shaped dough portions into greased baking molds and let them rise, covered with plastic wrap, at 78-82°F until the dough nearly reaches the top of the mold, which will take approximately 7-11 hours. Keep an eye on the temperature to promote proper rising. Remove the plastic wrap during the last hour of rising so that the dough surface can dry out.

Scoring (Cross-Cut):

1. Score the surface of the dough portions with a cross-cut using a razor blade. If the surface is properly dried, this will be easy. Some people also remove the four segments created by the cut and place a small piece of butter under each one. Alternatively, you can skip this step and place a small piece of butter in the center of the cut.

Baking:

1. Bake the panettoni in the lower part of the oven at 340°F for 45 minutes. If you notice the surface getting too dark after 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 320°F and cover with aluminum foil. You can check for doneness with a classic toothpick test (insert a long skewer; it should come out dry) or with a thermometer (the panettone is done when the core reaches 200°F).

Cooling:

1. Remove the panettoni from the oven and insert two skewers into the base of each one. Then, flip them upside down and let them cool hanging for about 3 hours.

Your homemade panettone is ready to enjoy!