Panettone with cherries and chocolate

To prepare the cherry and chocolate panettone, start with the first dough. Pour the bread flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook 1. Separately, dissolve the yeast in the indicated amount of water 2, then pour it into the mixer 3. 

Add the sugar 4, the malt 5, and the indicated amount of sourdough 6. 

Begin kneading, when you have a homogeneous mixture, add the egg yolks gradually 7, until fully absorbed. Work with the hook on medium-low speed until you get a smooth and elastic dough 8. At this point, using a dough scraper, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface 9. 

Shape it into a ball 10. Transfer it into a bowl 11, cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in the turned-off oven with the light on for about 4-5 hours, adding a small pot of hot water at the bottom. Alternatively, let the dough rise at room temperature (79°F), away from drafts, until it has doubled in volume 12.  

Drain the cherries 1, you will need 5.3 oz. Flour them with 0.5 oz of flour 2 and mix 3. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and set it aside. 

Dissolve the yeast in the water 4, add the honey 5 and mix. Pour the bread flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the dissolved yeast with water and honey 6. 

At this point, add the first dough 7, add the sugar 8, and start kneading with the hook. When you have a smooth and homogeneous mixture, gradually add the egg yolks 9. Also, add the salt when the dough has completely absorbed the yolks.

Then gradually add the softened butter 10. Wait for the first piece of butter to be well absorbed before adding the next. Pour the chopped cherries 11 and the dark chocolate 12 into the mixer. Work for about 5 minutes, then stop the machine and wait 10 minutes. 

In the meantime, butter a high panettone mold with a capacity of 1.6 lbs. After the 10 minutes, start the machine again and work the dough for another 10 minutes until it is smooth and adheres to the hook 14. Transfer the dough onto a greased surface and work it quickly with your hands 15. 

Then shape it into a ball 16 and place it in the panettone mold 17. Cover with a glass dome (or something else that won't compromise the growth of the panettone). Let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator and let it mature for 15 hours. After this time, leave the panettone at room temperature for another 4 hours, always well-covered. Then uncover it and wait another two hours, in this way it will dry slightly on the surface. 

By this point, the panettone will have risen, forming a thin crust 1; using a razor blade, make a cross 2. Lift the inner flaps and fold them outward. Add butter pieces inside the cuts. Bake in a preheated static oven at 365°F for 60 minutes, placing a baking tray in the top part of the oven to block the direct heat from the oven's coil. 

Perform the toothpick test at the end of cooking or measure the internal temperature with a kitchen thermometer: it should be between 198-208°F. As soon as the panettone is cooked, remove it from the oven 4. Skewer it using two long skewers 5. Let it cool upside down for at least 5 hours. Use two tall bowls or two pots to keep the panettone elevated. After about 3 hours of resting, make the ganache. Chop the dark chocolate and place it in a bowl. In a saucepan, pour the cream, add the honey 6, and heat until almost boiling.

Pour the cream over the chocolate in two additions 7, stirring well with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a smooth and shiny mixture 8. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours. 

At this point, take the now-cooled panettone, decorate it with the ganache, which will now be cool and thick 10, sprinkle with sugar granules as desired 11, and serve it 12.