I created this gluten free panettone in response to my Facebook followers requesting it. It makes the most delicious panettone so you don’t have to miss out this Christmas.
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The story behind the gluten free panettone
When I was asked to create a gluten free panettone I never imagined that it would be tricky. However, this recipe has caused me plenty of annoyance.
It’s also given me an opportunity to face a fear.
A few weeks ago I asked my Facebook followers what Christmas recipes they’d like to see me create.
The most popularly requested recipe was for panettone.
Along with stollen…but you’ll see that I’ve already cracked that one.
In fact, it’s just one of 13 Christmas recipes I’m teaching how to make in two classes in my private Christmas Facebook group (you can join any time up until Christmas for just £40, where the classes will be available to watch in your own time).
So, I decided to crack the panettone recipe.
And I did, first time. Except for a little air pocket right in the middle of the bake. It rather reminded me of a shop-bought loaf of bread. I mean, if you don’t get an air pocket it’s not right, right?
I did hours of research about this pesky air pocket. I also asked my baking friends in my Facebook group.
I’ve changed the recipe, amended the rise time, altered the method but each time the pesky pocket remains.
But there is one thing that hasn’t changed. And that is my oven with a broken seal (still waiting for a new one to be delivered). I’ve no idea whether that is causing the problem…
So today I am doing something that I never do when it comes to recipes.
I’m letting go of perfection.
Perfection is something I thought was a good thing until a few years ago. Then I realised that all it does is serve to hold you back from ever doing anything.
The fear of something ‘not being good enough’ basically stops your life in its tracks. It’s debilitating and crazy but it’s also the perfect excuse to not live life to its full potential and share your gifts.
When I started this blog it served as an opportunity to let go of perfectionism. I didn’t believe that anyone read it so it was fine to write something and press publish.
Now, I can easily do that, but when it comes to sharing recipes it’s totally different.
At that point perfectionism creeps in again. The gremlin in my head tells me that I can’t share a recipe if it isn’t totally perfect.
I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve created that are amazing, delicious and well received but that don’t live up to my high standards.
However, I know there are lots of you waiting for this recipe and it is incredibly delicious.
So although my gluten free panettone recipe isn’t perfect, I’m sharing it with you.
If I had the ability to eat any more panettone I would keep going with the experiments. However, I’m not sure it’s doing my waistline any good and if it’s the oven then the problem isn’t going anywhere soon.
So, although it goes against my inner soul, I’m sharing a slightly imperfect recipe. Imperfect but totally delicious.
If you fancied an experiment I would suggest either baking it in a bundt tin (removing the tricky middle!) or individual panettone cases. Or, perhaps investing in a panettone tin? Although I’m not one for having specific tins for specific (infrequent) bakes!
Anyway, I hand the recipe over to you with love. Do with it what you wish. But if you do make it please let me know what the air pocket situation is.
How do you make gluten free panettone?
It isn’t as tricky as it sounds. In fact, it’s pretty much like making a cake. Except that you have to let it rise between making the batter and baking it.
To get a high rise you’ll need to line your cake tin with baking parchment. This gives more room for the bread to rise and overcomes needing to buy a specific panettone tin. Although if you wanted to buy one then this one looks good.
There are no specific tips you need to know about. Just follow the ingredients and instructions carefully to make your delicious gluten free, and dairy free (if needed) panettone.
So here it is, my slightly imperfect gluten free panettone recipe. From a recovering perfectionist…
An update in 2022
With all my knowledge of bread making gathered from creating my gluten free bread mix (for which I share the recipe here) I have updated the recipe. It is now much softer, tastier and closer to perfect! It also has a reduced rise time as I now use the oven on it’s lowest temperature to rise the dough.
I hope you enjoy it!
Pin the recipe to a Pinterest board so you don’t lose it:
Traditional Gluten Free Panettone
Ingredients
- 300 g Mixed dried fruit
- 3 tbsp Brandy
- 250 g Free From Fairy gluten free plain flour
- 175 g potato starch - make sure it's gluten free
- 75 g tapioca starch - make sure it's gluten free
- 28 g Psyllium husk powder
- 7 g Sea or rock salt - (don't add this if you're using salted butter)
- 50 g white sugar
- 14 g yeast - (easy bake variety)
- 380 ml milk - You can use dairy or non-dairy – warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave or until tepid
- 5 medium eggs - I suggest free range and organic
- 250 g butter - (softened OR 200g softened coconut oil plus extra 50ml milk)
- 1 medium egg - whisked – for brushing on top
Instructions
- Prepare a 18cm diameter round cake tin by lining it with 2 sheets of baking paper (I folded my baking paper in half length-wise). This will give more height to your tin, allowing the bread to rise properly
- Add the dried fruit to the brandy, mix well and leave to stand for around an hour if you have the time. This just lets the fruit plump up but isn’t essential
- Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined
- Add the eggs, milk and butter (or coconut oil and extra milk) and beat until a smooth batter forms (around 1 minute)
- Add the mixed fruit into the batter and mix until just combined
- Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a further tablespoon of milk, spread out using the back of a spoon
- Cover with a damp t-towel and leave to rise in your oven on its lowest setting (around 40-50 degrees C) for around 35 mins, or until the mix has reached the top of the tin.
- Remove the panettone from the oven
- Turn your oven on to 180 degrees C/160 fan/gas 4. Once up to temperature, remove the t-towel from the top of the panettone, brush with beaten egg and bake for 25 minutes
- Turn the oven down to 150 degrees C/130 fan/gas 2 and cook for a further 45 minutes until turning golden on top and until a skewer comes out clean
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely
Kathryn says
Mine turned out more like a cake, is that the way it is suppose to be?
Vicki Montague says
No although it isn’t as light as a gluten-filled panettone would be because of the lack of structure created by the gluten. If you give me more details I might be able to help you…
Deborah says
Hi I am wheat, gluten and dairy intolerant. Are the cakes and stolen for me please?
Thank you
Vicki Montague says
Which cakes are you enquiring about? The stollen is gluten and dairy free. All my recipes are gluten and wheat free.
Francesca says
Hi, I would like to try this recipe by I was wondering if I can substitute the potato starch with cornstarch & substitute the tapioca starch with coconut flour or almond flour? Thanks in advance.
Vicki Montague says
Subs always create something different. The flours I choose are there to create the final product. If you change them you’ll get a different end result. Changing potato starch for cornflour wouldn’t be too detrimental in this recipe but you couldn’t change tapioca for coconut or almond. They have completely different properties I’m afraid.
Angela Drake says
Could you use candied lemon peel as part of the dried fruit? I was thinking raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries and apricots plus the candied fruit.
Vicki Montague says
Hi Angela, yes of course. You can use whatever dried fruit you like! Just make sure it is well chopped and the same quantity that I used 🙂
Mark says
Enjoyed this at Christmas!
Shelley-Ann Yip says
Is there anything I can substitute the Psyllium husk powder with?
Vicki Montague says
Hi Shelley-Ann, you could try xanthan gum although I haven’t made it with this. Let me know how you get on if you do.