Frosted Panettone

Panettone Glassato by La Perla di Torino, nutty glaze

The soft crumb of the Panettone Glassato from La Perla di Torino is topped with a crust of hazelnut, sugar, and fresh egg white. The dough inside is studded with sultanas and candied orange peel, and this glazed Italian Christmas cake weighs 750 grams.

Panettone Glassato is the glazed Christmas classic from La Perla di Torino in Turin, weighing 750 grams. The dough contains sultanas, candied orange peel, and citron, topped with a nut glaze featuring almonds. It is delivered in a golden tin, which ensures it arrives through the mail intact.

Crispy glaze over a moist crumb

The knife meets the crust first, then the dough gives way, and it is this contrast that defines the Glassato.

The glaze offers toasted hazelnut, while underneath lies the soft crumb with sultanas and candied orange peel. Honey is also included in the recipe, giving the sweetness a bit more depth than sugar alone would provide.

Sultanas and orange peel share the fruit profile: one dark and soft, the other bright and slightly bitter. Softness alone would be monotonous over time; only the crunch on top maintains interest well past the second slice.

A glaze of nuts and egg white

For the glaze, hazelnuts are mixed with sugar and fresh egg white into a paste and applied before baking.

The egg white causes the layer to rise in the oven and then set to a crisp, similar to a meringue. Rice starch and rice flour keep it crumbly, ensuring it shatters when sliced rather than sticking to the knife.

La Perla di Torino applies the mixture before the loaf goes into the oven so that it rises along with it. At the same time, the glaze seals the top of the loaf and retains moisture in the dough, which benefits the texture for days.

Citron, Italy's classic candied fruit

In addition to orange peel, the dough also contains candied citron, known in Italy as cedro.

This ancient citrus fruit has a thick, white rind and little pulp, which is exactly why it has been candied for centuries. Its peel remains firm to the bite and tastes milder than that of an orange, more floral than bitter.

It is candied over several stages because the thick peel absorbs sugar slowly. Cedro still grows today in coastal gardens along the Calabrian coast, from where it travels to bakeries across the country.

A Christmas cake in a golden tin

Slice it into wedges instead of slices, and every portion will include a piece of the glaze.

A glass of Spumante on the side, and the gift-giving can certainly wait. Those who wait until Boxing Day to open the tin will find the crust intact, as the metal protects it better than any paper.

Anyone giving the Glassato from La Perla di Torino as a gift doesn't need wrapping paper, as the tin is already presentation-ready. For a dinner party, the loaf serves as a perfect dessert, and the final wedges work well with coffee the next day.

The tin long outlasts its contents and, in many kitchens, goes on to hold sewing supplies or cookies for the following year.

Without the glaze, but with apple and cinnamon, you will find the Panettone Christmas; more seasonal items can be found in our Christmas selection, and the rest of what La Perla di Torino has to offer can be found in the manufaktur's product range.