Panettone

• 400 g (14 oz) strong white bread flour
• 50 g (2 oz) caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons fast-action dried yeast
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 80 g (3 oz) raisins
• 80 g (3 oz) candied peel, fined chopped
• 80 g (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for brushing
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 125 ml (4 fl oz) warm semi-skimmed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and lemon zest in a bowl. Stir in the raisins and candied peel. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mix to a soft dough.

Turn out on to an unfloured work surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place until doubled in size (this can take about 2 hours).

Line a 15 cm (6 inches) spring clip or loose-bottomed cake tin with a double thickness of baking parchment. Make sure that the paper is 5 cm (2 inches) higher than the tin.

Knead the dough again and form into a round. Place in the tin, cover and leave to prove until the dough rises almost to the top of the lining paper (about 1½ hours).

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C/400°F. Set the shelf to one rung below the middle.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, covering with buttered paper after 15 minutes to prevent it from over-browning.

Leave the Panettone in the tin for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. The base should sound hollow when tapped.

Brush the top with melted butter while still warm.