Panettone

[Pat "5mph"]

My father was half German. Have to confess, my spoken German is rather rusty these days, but can still read it rather well.

My mom was German, I was actually born in Germany, spent my first 5/6 years there, then we moved to Italy.
I can speak German (a bit mixed up with English lol), read it, understand it, but cannot write one correct sentence

 

[Reynard]

I seem to have some sort of mental block when it comes to grammar, I struggled with English grammar when I was at school over 60 years ago, and I’m currently struggling with German grammar 🤔 I suppose I need to look for different ways of thinking until it “ clicks “

German grammar isn't the easiest, but at least it's consistent. Could be worse, you could be learning French, where each grammar rule has umpteen different exceptions.

French is actually my first language. At school, I didn't bother about the grammar rules at all, because I could work it out backwards from knowing how the phrase or sentence was actually spoken.

Fingers crossed you can get it to click xxx

 

[Reynard]

My mom was German, I was actually born in Germany, spent my first 5/6 years there, then we moved to Italy.
I can speak German (a bit mixed up with English lol), read it, understand it, but cannot write one correct sentence

That's much like me - it's funny how the written language is the first one to go down the can.

Aaaaaaaaaanyways, back on topic, I managed to acquire an orange, a lemon and a suitable number of eggs in Tesco - ergo I shall be having a crack at the Hairy Bikers' recipe for Pannetone this coming week.

Will report back.

 

[yello]

it's funny how the written language is the first one to go down the can

I treat written and spoken as almost different languages, certainly is for me in French where the written seemingly has its own verb tense. Whatever, if you can speak and write in the same language then that makes you bilingual in my book!

Sorry, had to segue, it's a subject that interests me greatly. Food is another favourite subject so back to panettone.

 

[nickyboy]

Not panicking just yet, I've still five eggs left... Might have to defer an omelette for a bit though LOL

Glad you've made use of the recipe Shame you're so far away @Pat "5mph", I've got several lovely German cookery books you'd find interesting - including two on nothing BUT lebkuchen...

Aldi, perhaps unsurprisingly, does sell nice lebkuchen at Xmas in UK. I always buy loads as it is (a) very tasty (b) very cheap (c) very good for snacking on whilst cycling

 

[gavroche]

German grammar isn't the easiest, but at least it's consistent. Could be worse, you could be learning French, where each grammar rule has umpteen different exceptions.

French is actually my first language. At school, I didn't bother about the grammar rules at all, because I could work it out backwards from knowing how the phrase or sentence was actually spoken.

Fingers crossed you can get it to click xxx

A friend of ours was married to a French man and lived in Lille for 20 years. She speaks fluent French but cannot write it so, whenever she has to write a letter in French, she asks me to do it for her.

 

[Reynard]

Aldi, perhaps unsurprisingly, does sell nice lebkuchen at Xmas in UK. I always buy loads as it is (a) very tasty (b) very cheap (c) very good for snacking on whilst cycling

The stuff Tesco sell isn't half bad either - for shop bought. And any little Polish shop will also stock it, more often than not all year round, not just for Christmas.

Funnily, I did buy some from Aldi this year. Lidl also does a good selection, but the nearest one to me is some 20-odd miles away.

 

[Reynard]

A friend of ours was married to a French man and lived in Lille for 20 years. She speaks fluent French but cannot write it so, whenever she has to write a letter in French, she asks me to do it for her.

Haven't had to write in French for quite some time. I get the feeling that if I had to try now, the experience would be a painful one...

 

[gavroche]

Haven't had to write in French for quite some time. I get the feeling that if I had to try now, the experience would be a painful one...

Apparently, french spelling by French students is getting worse every year because of social media that shortens everything and distorts words.
I am glad I was brought up in the 60's when spelling was high on the curriculum with frequent dictation exercises. It served me well as an adult.

 

[Reynard]

I *finally* got round to having a go at the Hairy Bikers' version of panettone today. Yeah, I know... Better late than never, I guess.

Dough was really easy to do - no different from doing any enriched bread tbh. Sticky at first, but finished off nice and silky once kneaded. Fruit goes in after the bulk ferment. All instructions pretty straightforward. A couple of minor substitutions - used golden granulated sugar instead of soft light brown (that's what was open) and just ordinary spreadable butter to grease the tin rather than the oil that's suggested.

Good job I work to the mantra of "watch the dough, not the clock" however, as the dough was very slow to rise. Mind, my house is on the cool side anyway, and temperature does have a factor on how quickly (or not) the yeast acts. Still, it took four hours to double in volume rather than the hour stated in the book. (12 Days of Christmas). Likewise, the proof was slow, but once the dough decided to get going, it fair took off!

Also, it wanted a bit of extra oven time, but then that's likely just my oven. There's nothing in the recipe that mentions fan ovens, so a bit of guesstimation required.

Not cut in to it yet, as it's still cooling, but it smells fabby.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I *finally* got round to having a go at the Hairy Bikers' version of panettone today. Yeah, I know... Better late than never, I guess.

Dough was really easy to do - no different from doing any enriched bread tbh. Sticky at first, but finished off nice and silky once kneaded. Fruit goes in after the bulk ferment. All instructions pretty straightforward. A couple of minor substitutions - used golden granulated sugar instead of soft light brown (that's what was open) and just ordinary spreadable butter to grease the tin rather than the oil that's suggested.

Good job I work to the mantra of "watch the dough, not the clock" however, as the dough was very slow to rise. Mind, my house is on the cool side anyway, and temperature does have a factor on how quickly (or not) the yeast acts. Still, it took four hours to double in volume rather than the hour stated in the book. (12 Days of Christmas). Likewise, the proof was slow, but once the dough decided to get going, it fair took off!

Also, it wanted a bit of extra oven time, but then that's likely just my oven. There's nothing in the recipe that mentions fan ovens, so a bit of guesstimation required.

Not cut in to it yet, as it's still cooling, but it smells fabby.

I love panettone, and what better than to wake on a Sunday to a cliffhanger mystery involving one! Did it turn out well... 🤔

 

[Reynard]

I love panettone, and what better than to wake on a Sunday to a cliffhanger mystery involving one! Did it turn out well... 🤔

Nearly half of it's been eaten, so yeah, I think so...

Flavour is decidedly more subtle than shop bought, but you can really taste what's gone into it. A few slices went down really nicely with a after spending the afternoon yellow stickering in Tesco.

Will post some pics, but they're still in my camera.