Pear and chocolate panettone

To make pear and chocolate panettone, start by preparing the first dough: place the flour in the planetary mixer bowl, together with the sugar 1 and water 2. Mix with the dough hook for a couple of minutes at a medium speed, then add the natural yeast 3 and stir for another 5-6 minutes, until smooth.

Add a part of the egg yolks 4 and stir some more at a medium and then at a medium-high speed. When the dough detaches from the side of the bowl add the softened butter in one go 5 and continue to stir until fully absorbed; this will take around 5-8 minutes, so that it is smooth, elastic and glossy. Add the remaining egg yolks 6 and stir for another 1-2 minutes at a medium speed.

The dough will now be smooth and strong 7. Check it is ready by delicately pulling an edge, it should almost become transparent. Move to a worktop and slap and fold the dough, by lifting and gently slapping the dough on the top 2-3 times on both sides; it should detach perfectly from the worktop without you having to add any flour 8. Place the dough in a large bowl 9, cover with plastic wrap (or with a bag) and leave to leaven for 10-12 hours at a temperature of 82.4-86°F (28-30°C), in the switched off oven with the lights on, for example.

Once the leavening time is up the dough will have nearly tripled in size 10. Place it in the planetary mixer bowl by hand, with moistened fingers 11, add the dough 12 and knead with the hook on a medium speed for at least 5-6 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the aromatic emulsion: place the water, orange paste 13, honey 14 and seeds of a vanilla bean 15 in a bowl.

Add the malt 16 and stir with a whisk or spatula. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, add the sugar 17 and a part of the emulsion; continue to stir at a medium-high speed. Add the remaining emulsion 18 and stir some more until fully absorbed.

Now make sure the gluten has developed, and add part of the egg yolks 19. Stir them in at a low speed for 1-2 minutes. When the dough detaches from the side, add the softened butter 20, followed by the salt, a few moments later 21.

Once the dough is nice and strong, remove it from the sides and add the remaining egg yolks 22. Knead on a medium-high setting for 2-3 minutes. In the meantime, place the chocolate and candied pears in a bowl 23 and stir thoroughly 24; if the candied fruit is too sticky you can add a drop of water to amalgamate it better with the dough.

Add the mixture to the dough 25 and stir for a few minutes at a medium speed. Place the resulting dough on a worktop 26, slap and fold it a few times and leave to rest for 30 minutes, covered with the bowl 27.

Once this time is up, roll and round the dough on the worktop, without pressing down on it too much 28. Leave to rest for another 15 minutes, covered with the bowl 29, then round it a second time 30; leaving it to rest helps add more structure and height to the panettone. Use a spatula to avoid having to sprinkle the worktop with flour.

Now place the dough in a 2.2 lb panettone mold and leave to leaven for around 6-8 hours at a temperature of 82.4-86°F (28-30°C) 31. Once leavened, the dough will have risen to around an inch from the top of the mold: cut a cross on the top of the panettone 31 and place a piece of butter in the middle of it 33.

Bake in a static oven preheated to 338°F (170°C) for 54 minutes. Once baked (check that the core temperature is between 201.2-203°F (94-95°C)), remove the panettone from the oven and pierce it with 2 long steel skewers while still hot 34; leave to cool upside down for around 6-8 hours 35. Once cooled (the core temperature must be 68-71.6°F (20-22°C)), your pear and chocolate panettone is ready to be enjoyed 36!