Welcome to the Flour & Soul ultimate panettone guide! What is it, how it’s made, how to eat it and most importantly how to get your hands on the best Made in Manchester panettone. 

“We enjoyed the succulent apricot inclusions, the restrained white chocolate sweetness, the hint of acidity from the fruit and the complex tonka bean. “

Great Taste 2025 Judge Comments

What is panettone?

A cake? A bread? A confection? A little bit of all three – a showstopping sweet centrepiece of Italian Christmas – airy, tall, sweet with vanilla and citrus, pillowy soft and naturally leavened (made without commercial yeast with a special ‘sourdough’ starter). 

I have put ‘sourdough’ in inverted commas, because often when I speak of sourdough people think the resulting product is sour. ‘Sourdough’ here only denotes the wild nature of the yeasts used in this spectacular bread. 

Panettone has an almost impossible amount of butter, eggs and sugar. In one of our finished panettone there is just under 250 grams of flour – the remaining 500 grams are made up of butter (almost 25% of the total weight), yolks, sugar, orange paste and candid orange pieces. This not only guarantees a melt in the mouth texture but also means panettone has to defy gravity to stand up once baked! It has to be hung upside down otherwise it will collapse under the weight of all the ingredients. 

What makes the best panettone?

The quality of the ingredients – high quality butter, golden free-range egg yolks, candied fruit, Madagascan vanilla. No artificial flavour enhancers, yeasts or essences. All of these contribute to the exceptional rich buttery taste of high quality panettone.

The aroma – a real sign of quality this should hit you as soon as you open the cellophane bag panettone is usually wrapped in. It is a complex aroma made of vanilla, sugar and the volatile aromatic compounds present in the ‘sourdough’ starter used to make it. 

The texture – pillow soft, melt in the mouth. Some of the inferior panettone around have the texture of brioche bread and lack the cloud like melt in the mouth of high quality panettone.

How long does it keep?

Unopened – stored in a dark, cool place, away from sunlight and fluctuating temperatures, panettone can last up to 6 months. Below is a video of me opening a 8 month old panettone…

Opened – 5-10 days if wrapped well

Freezer – up to 3 months, slice and wrap tightly to avoid freezer burn

If you forget to wrap your sliced panettone you can always toast it very lightly to reawaken the aromas and melt the butter.

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Why are some panettone expensive?

The time it takes to make – real artisan panettone is a 3 day process, slowly mixing, proving, baking and hanging upside down. Looking after the ‘sourdough’ mother, feeding it twice a day to a strict schedule, all of this takes commitment and time. 

Quality ingredients cost considerably more – Italian flour, bean to bar chocolate, cold candid citrus, Cumbrian butter…

The best Made in Manchester panettone money can buy

Raised right here in Manchester my little workshop is only one of two places which makes panettone in Manchester.

I taste test my flavours, look around for exceptional chocolate, combine local ingredients with artisanal Italian process and this has resulted in a Great Taste star! A real recognition for a product made right here in Urmston by a single female baker.

Ready to get your hands on one of our exceptional panettone?

Three exceptional hand-crafted flavours, available on our website from 17th November.