Serve It Up

• Drinks that pair well with panettone will depend on what flavor bread you are serving and how you are serving it. Although the standard panettone is flavored with fruit, many flavor varieties are available, such as sultry chocolate or almond cream filled and topped with nuts. Panettone can be sliced and heated and then smeared with butter and jam. It can also be served with creamy cheese. Zabaione, a rich creamy concoction made of egg yolks and sweet wine, is another condiment for this holiday bread. Consider the dominant flavors in your panettone and what will be topping your bread to choose the perfect drink pairing.

Sweet or Dry

• Vin santo, a wine from Tuscany that can be sweet or dry, works well with traditional panettone. The candied citrus will be played up by the lemon notes in the drier variety, while the sweeter varietals will pair nicely with the richness in the bread. Sweet vin santo is a good choice when using mascarpone to top your bread since it will complement the creamy cheese. This is also a good pairing when serving almond-infused panettone. Sweet raisin wines from the Trani region of Italy are another good bet with traditional panettone. The notes of honey and vanilla will perfectly complement the fruit and butter in the bread.

Sparkling Conversation

• Sparkling wines like prosecco and asti are festive pairings with all varieties of panettone. Moscato d’Asti is a sweet sparkling wine that will highlight the flavors of the candied fruit in the bread. A drier wine like prosecco will balance the richness of chocolate panettone. This is also a good choice to pair with almond flavored panettone or with sweet bread that is topped with rich zabaione. The dryness in the wine will offset the heaviness of the cream while also highlighting the butter and vanilla flavor of the bread.

Hot and Rich

• Deep, rich espresso is the perfect accompaniment with a slice of any flavor of panettone, but will go especially well with chocolate or almond. If serving espresso with traditional panettone, garnish the coffee with a twist of lemon, since the citrus essence in the rind will bring out the citrus in the cake. Another hot drink that pairs deliciously with panettone is a cup of amaretto-infused coffee. This pairing will be decadent with a slice of chocolate bread that has been warmed and then topped with rich mascarpone. Since panettone can be enjoyed at any time of the day, pair a cup of black or herbal tea with the sweet bread for a mid-day snack or as a treat for breakfast.