With its light, buttery taste and Italian allure, panettone has become a challenger to the traditional slab of Christmas fruitcake, but this year it is almost unrecognisable, as exotic versions of the festive bread, including tiramisu, black cherry and even parmesan cheese, line up on supermarket shelves.
Panettone was a big hit in 2021 and this year Waitrose has gone to town, with more than 12 variations, including a “supermarket first” – a savoury “Parmigiano Reggiano and cracked black pepper” panettone. This twist is a bridge too far for some food critics and when a baker tried it for the Guardian, they concluded it was “so not a panettone” but a rather tasty “cheese bread”.
