What is the best artisanal panettone for Christmas ? And how is it recognised? The Christmas period is approaching and every year it becomes more and more difficult to find the "best" panettone with dozens of flavors to choose from, with or without candied fruit, in all types of sizes and variations. But compared to the classic industrial panettone from the supermarket, it is possible to purchase artisanal delicacies that are unlikely to disappoint. Beyond the taste, one cannot help but notice how high the cost of artisanal panettone has become over the years, in some cases reaching almost 50 euros per kilo. An increase in prices that has also affected supermarket panettone, albeit in a "lighter" way. Between competitions, tastings and evergreens, here are the best artisanal panettones of 2023.
The best artisanal panettone 2023 from master pastry chefs
It's not enough to be a great pastry chef to make great panettone. It requires technique, experience and above all passion. And be artisans in the deepest sense of the term.
The great master's panettone Iginio massari it is the result of a long and complex process and a huge selection of ingredients. The classic costs 43 euros. Also in the catalog are versions without lactose and without candied fruit, with pistachio and a special limited edition, in a tin package with pistachio and hazelnut spreads.
Prisco and Giuseppe di Pepe Master Confectioner, from Sant'Egidio del Monte Albino (SA), brothers of the great master Alfonso, pastry chef who opened the doors of the South to the art of Panettone, taking away from the North the primacy of absolute excellence, propose for 2023, a panettone with beautiful aromatic notes and great persistence. Inside it is characterized by a golden crumb, with large and uniform alveoli, rich in Australian 5 crown raisins and candied fruit. A dessert rich in aromas: not only of orange and cedar, but also mandarin and lemon which accompany the flavor of vanilla berry powder. The texture is buttery but not cloying.
Lest we forget, it should be remembered that Alfonso Pepe was the only pastry chef to win the Re Panettone Award four times, the most important in Italy, and was awarded, among other things, at Palazzo Caracciolo by a jury made up of the sacred monsters of Italian pastry making of the caliber of Igino Massari, recognized Grand Master of all, Gino Fabbri President of the Academy of Italian Master Pastry Chefs, Francesco Boccia World Pastry Champion, for his unsurpassed panettone with apricots from Vesuvius and raisin wine Mel by Antonio Caggiano, which remains a milestone of Italian confectionery art. Various versions offered for sale from the classic (39 euros), to the one with Pellecchielle del Vesuvio apricots, evergreen with the exclusive recipe of the great Alfonso, to the one with pistachio, white figs and coffee and gianduja. True masterpieces of taste.
Fully entered into the Neapolitan golden road to Panettone opened by Alfonso Pepe in Sant'Egidio del Monte Albino (SA) and then developed by Lombardi in Maddaloni, Gabbiano and De Niro in Pompeii, Mascolo in Visciano, Pasquale Marigliano in San Gennarello di Ottaviano , Raffaele Vignola in Solofra and again by Salvatore Varriale and Leopoldo Infante in Naples, Francesco Sorrentino of Pasticceria la Torre with laboratory on Via Nazionale in Torre del Greco,today it is a staple for all lovers of fine pastry making in the Region. Alien from experimentalism and spectacularizations for the sake of surprising, Sorrentino has based his confectionery philosophy on the adherence and exaltation of territorial identity and on the exaltation of tradition. In its products you can perceive the history, scent and flavor of the territory, all the components are strictly zero km, apples and pellecchielle from Vesuvius, eggs from the best suppliers in the area, candied fruit made with local products. Classic Panettone, Almond Panettone, Convivial Panettone or Filled with Pistachio, chocolate, Vesuvius apricot, limoncello and black cherry: the panettone of Pasticceria La Torre are all evidence of obsessive attention to strictly artisanal workmanship, based on high quality of raw materials, all 100% natural, based on the great Campania confectionery tradition. The irregular but not too marked alveolation of the panettone guarantees a balanced dough that maintains the right humidity typical of a high-quality artisanal panettone as well as the crumb which tends to slip away, thus demonstrating an excellent gluten mesh. The long leavening and manufacturing processes guarantee a soft, light, fragrant and above all highly digestible artisanal panettone. 35 euro price
The panettone of Vincenzo Tiri now it can be bought in the Potenza Panettoneria. His leavened product, with three kneading phases and 72 hours of leavening, has won him several awards. For Christmas 2023 the traditional one costs 42 euros, or you can opt for the Salted Caramel one at 45 euros. His mission? Deseasonalize the panettone which, in fact, can be found all year round.
The famous Italian pastry chef originally from Padua, Louis Biasetto, spokesperson for the request to have panettone declared part of the "intangible cultural heritage" of the world by UNESCO, this year offers the panettone created for illy, enriched with milk chocolate chips and crunchy amaretto icing: illy Special Edition 2023 costs 39 euros.
Then, there is Diego Crosara, winner of the Artisti del Panettone 2023 competition promoted by Confcommercio. Since 2018 appointed Pastry Creator Director for Marchesi 1824, a historic Milanese brand belonging to the Prada Group, his classic panettone has conquered everyone.
Some panettone Sal De Riso, about twenty, we all know by now. These include Panettone Oro Puro: with a strong flavour, filled with 72% Sur del Lago Venezuela Domori dark chocolate, decorated with precious gold leaves enclosed in a golden casket. The price is mind-boggling: 170 euros.
Eustachio Sapone certainly deserves a mention Soap Confectionery in the province of Bari. After studying alongside Luigi Biasetto and Iginio Massari, he developed his own confectionery vision which was also expressed in panettone. And he offers many variations. The pride of Tarantino orange and Toritto almond icing.
The best artisanal panettoni awarded in 2023
To choose the panettone best suited to your tastes, you can refer to competitions, tastings and world competitions. Here are the competitions and which ones decreed the best artisanal panettone 2023.
The winners of “Mastro Panettone 2023”
Campania was awarded in multiple categories on the occasion of Master Panettone 2023, the event promoted by Golasi.it, which brought it to the podium in both the classic panettone and chocolate panettone sections among 420 leavened products produced by over 300 artisans from all over Italy. In first place, in both cases, we find the Pompilio Bakery in Ariano Irpino, in the province of Avellino. In second place for the traditional recipe there is always a pastry chef from Campania: Pasquale Pesce from Pasticceria Pesce 1896 in Avella (Avellino). He placed third Francesco Flammini of Caffè Pasticceria Sibilla in Visso (Mc). In the best artisanal chocolate panettone category, second place goes to the Christmas panettone Riccardo Manduca of Solodamanduca of Aprilia (Lt) and to the third Luigi Vetrella of Il Forno Grani & Altri Visioni of Caserta. There are also three pastry chefs from the Bari area among the 42 finalists of the "Mastro Panettone: leavened products made by Cosimo Caradonna from Alberobello (A Thousand Cravings), Matteo Papanice from Castellana Grotte (Grow up) e Domenico Petronella from Altamura (Maison Petronella).
The winners of “Panettone Without Borders”
Another competition that celebrates the craftsmanship of the leavened product, symbol of Italian pastry making in the world, is Panettone Without Borders, conceived and organized by Fausto Morabito. The winner for Best Traditional Panettone was the baker Maurizio Sarioli of the Forneria Il Pane di Brescia, his first time in a professional competition. There are three pastry chefs awarded for the Best Chocolate Panettone: the technical jury has chosen Leonardo Romano of Pasticceria Pesce dal 1896 in Avella (Avellino), the critics' jury opted for Roberto Moreschi, of Roberto Pastry & Bakery of Chiavenna (province of Sondrio), while the popular jury made up of the public on board the cruise ship expressed itself in favor of Alessandro Saccomando, from Casa Mastroianni in Lamezia Terme (province of Catanzaro).
Special prize for the Bergamo area Rossana Filisetti, which won the Best Amateur Panettone category. Finally, the judges gave their awards Jesus Machi, Spanish pastry chef, allowing him to access the 2024 Panettone World Cup: he will have to compete with Maurizio Sarioli and Leonardo Romano in the final which will take place in Milan from 8 to 10 November 2024.
The winners of Panettone Day 2023
The winner of the “Traditional” category is Domenico Napoleone of the F.lli Napoleone pastry shop in Rieti, the one in the “Creative Sweet” category Bartolo Carbè of the Antico Forno Carbè of Syracuse, while FFrancesco Bertolini of the Bertolini & Figli di San pastry shop was awarded the hour medal for “Gold Chocolate”.
Furthermore, the Pasubio pastry shop in Catania won the special "Best Cube Yeast" award. While Bartolo Carbè of Antico Forno Carbè of Syracuse also won the "Best Panettone for Breakfast" award.
World Panettone Championship 2023: the Panettone World Championship
Italy was awarded the first World panettone championship in teams, beating the competition. Not only did they take home gold in all categories, the Italian baking masters also won the three individual prizes: Aniello di Caprio for the traditional panettone, Joseph Mascolo for the chocolate one and the team captain Claudio Gatti for the innovative savory category.
Other 2023 artisanal panettones to try
Not just master pastry chefs and starred chefs. Many bakeries, pizzerias, specialized companies, restaurants with laboratories and ice cream parlors also delight in the confectionery art of panettone. This is the case for the well-known pizza chef Renato Bosco, with his hands in yeast and flour for almost 40 years, who has put all his knowledge at the service of a Christmas challenge: the classic panettone, soft and with the right humidity, costs 40 euros then there are different variations such as panettone Sacher cake. The goodness of panettone Simone De Feo, owner of Cremeria Capolinea in Reggio Emilia, has sent panettone enthusiasts into ecstasy: with an (irresistible) scent of butter and fresh, juicy candied fruit. As per tradition, the family's historic Roman oven roscioli also offers its panettone for this Christmas (in addition to pandoro). As well as Oliveri 1882 which also this year does not deny itself by offering the domed dessert revisited by the head baker Nicola Olivieri in collaboration with the chef Lorenzo Cogo. The result of a double leavening lasting more than 48 hours, this panettone is filled with candied olives, white chocolate and rosemary (46,50 euros).
Andrew Barile it can only be defined as an icon of Christmas dessert. 60 hours of processing, 36 of natural leavening to obtain an artisanal panettone of the highest quality with a soft heart and an explosion of flavours.
Gentile, one of the best pasta factories in Gragnano, offers a classic panettone, characterized by the delicacy of Normandy butter and a shiny, hazelnut-coloured dome without icing. Or for those with a sweet tooth there is the Three Chocolate variant or the Coffee and Chocolate variant. And again, for those looking for genuine flavors in a soft bite, there is the variant Cinnamon or Apricot from Vesuvius. All between 39 and 45 euros.
The best 2023 panettone in the supermarket
With the prices of leavened products "inflated", those who do not want to give up the iconic Christmas dessert can also find among the shelves of supermarket discreet panettone. Among the best is that of the historic Milanese brand Vergani which, in addition to leavened pastry products, has been offering its own line for large-scale distribution for years. The Grazie di Esselunga, Motta and the Tre Marie are valid alternatives.
