I was going to wait to talk about Panettone, but they are just starting to show up in the stores for the holidays. You can buy it the most reasonably at Sam’s, Costco, Dollar General, and Big Lots. Don’t get the chocolate chip variety; you want the original kind with dried fruit. Since you can only find it in stores from now until the end of the year, I buy plenty to hold me over. I’ve never had one go bad, apparently it lasts forever!
Even though I’ve seen Panettone for years and certainly been familiar with it because it’s Italian, for some reason I thought I hated it. Turns out I was wrong! Several years ago, one of my cousins insisted I taste it, so I did and have been hooked ever since. You will always find at least one in my pantry. It’s good plain or toasted with coffee, but it’s unbelievable as French toast, bread pudding, or Panettone Trifle
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a large (17.5 oz) Panettone, cut into 1” square pieces
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 6 eggs
- 1 quart milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450°
- Place Panettone pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in oven for about 10 minutes, and remove when lightly toasted. Place in 2 quart greased casserole dish.
- Lower oven to 350°
- Drizzle toasted Panettone pieces with melted butter.
- In a bowl, mix together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt (this is the custard). Pour over Panettone. Push pieces down into the custard mixture. Let stand about 30 minutes for the pieces to absorb.
- Cover dish and place in oven and bake about 45 minutes, or until the center is set.
- I don’t usually make a sauce for this because there will be a little custard on the bottom, so scoop all the way to the bottom when you serve!