Panettone
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1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 medium eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, water and sugar. Cover and let stand 
for 10 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy. Add the eggs, 
yogurt, vanilla extract, salt and lemon zest. Mix well!

Then stir in the flour a 1/2 cup scoop at a time until the dough shapes 
into a manageable ball. Plop it onto a lightly floured surface and begin 
kneading the dough for about 5 to 10 minutes (if necessary, add more 
flour until you can easily mold the dough and it's not sticky - this 
could take 4 or 5 cups of flour, so be patient!)

Place dough in a large, lightly pan-sprayed bowl, cover, and let rise in 
a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. (My grandmother always used a 
blanket to cover and wrap the entire bowl for warmth)

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prep a 
round 8-inch cake pan with non-stick spray.

In a smaller bowl, toss the raisins with confectioners' sugar.

Punch down your dough ball in bowl, and then transfer it to a flat, 
floured surface - then kneed in the fruit!

Form the dough into a ball, place in prepared cake pan, cover loosely 
with a towel, and allow it to rise for about 25-30 minutes. (Don't 
worry, it's normal for the dough to rise above the sides!) Brush the top 
of the panettone with melted butter, then bake for 45 minutes, or until 
it is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out 
clean. Voila! You're ready to serve this sweet treat to all your family 
and friends!

**Note...if you don't like raisins, leave them out! Then when your cake 
is finished, dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted 
chocolate - both traditional and TASTY alternatives to this classic 
panettone recipe!

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For dough

    1 cup golden raisins (5 oz)
    1/2 cup sweet Marsala
    1/2 cup warm milk (105.115°F)
    2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
    4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from two 1/4-oz packages)
    3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    3 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
    1 large egg yolk
    1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened, 
plus additional for buttering cans
    1 cup diced fine-quality candied citron (not a supermarket brand; 6 
oz)


For egg wash

    1 large egg yolk
    1 tablespoon water


    Special equipment: a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; 2 
(10- to 15-oz) clean coffee cans (paper or plastic labels removed); 
parchment paper

Make dough:
Simmer raisins in Marsala in a small saucepan 2 minutes. Remove from 
heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature.

Meanwhile, stir together warm milk and 2 teaspoons sugar in bowl of 
mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 
minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) 
Add 1/4 cup flour and beat at medium speed until combined. Add whole 
eggs, yolk, zest, lemon juice, salt, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar and 
beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, then mix in remaining 3 
cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Increase speed to medium-high, then 
gradually beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to beat 
until dough is shiny and forms strands from paddle to bowl, 4 to 6 
minutes. (Dough will be very soft and sticky.) Drain raisins, discarding 
Marsala, then add to dough along with candied citron and mix at low 
speed until incorporated.

Scrape dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. 
Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until 
doubled in bulk, 2 to 3 hours.

While dough rises, generously butter coffee cans and line bottom and 
side of each with parchment (use a round for bottom and a rectangle for 
side).

Punch down dough with lightly floured hands and turn out onto a lightly 
floured surface. Halve dough and scoop 1 half into each can, pressing 
gently to expel any air bubbles. Loosely cover cans with lightly 
buttered plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room 
temperature until dough reaches top of cans, 2 to 3 hours. 
(Alternatively, let dough rise in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours; bring to 
room temperature, 3 to 4 hours, before baking.)

Bake panettone:
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together yolk and water and lightly brush top of dough with egg 
wash. Bake until tops are deep golden brown and bottoms sound hollow 
when tapped (remove from cans first), 35 to 40 minutes. (Firmly thump 
bottoms of inverted cans to remove.) Transfer loaves to a rack and 
discard parchment. Cool to room temperature.

Cooks' note: Panettone keeps, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then 
foil, frozen 3 weeks.