The Laboratory

It's taken a while, but the exotic delights of the panettone, once found only in the windows of Italian delis and in miniature in racks at Costa Coffee, has now made it through to the mainstream. Marks & Spencers, Waitrose and Fenwicks now have a plethora of flavours and prices, and panettone looks set to replace Christmas Pudding as a staple of the festive feast. According to Rachel Hall in the Guardian: "Selfridges said it expected to sell three times more panettone than Christmas puddings after selling more than ever before last Christmas, with sales up almost 25% on 2021. Waitrose said the Italian classic was out-selling Christmas pudding, with demand up 40% on this time last year. Although there is a traditional recipe to follow, Selfridges offers six different types of panettone, including salted caramel and chocolate orange. The retailer sells a £150 panettone hamper, which it says is “packed with inventive iterations” and has also added the cake’s flavour to many o...

One needs to ask oneself the question - just because it can be invented, should it be? This is the Marks & Spencer Panettonut. Yes, a donut that is a bit like a panettone. AKA the donuttone. When asked if she would like to have another one at any point in the future, Sarah said no.

Welcome to a new Advent Calendar for 2022. It feels a little late to be starting because we've already had Advent Sunday. Hope you already have the first candle lit on your Advent Crown, and like both our neighbours, your hand-made wreath up on your front door! We are still making plans, and will bring you all of our Christmas treats and ideas as we journey through to Christmas. Adam has a planning list and at the top is all of the food we need to buy. And this year ... what a treat! The Guardian had a taste test of all the panettones and we have selected some of the best for you to choose from. 1. Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Orange and Prosecco Panettone (£8, normally £10) "Laced with Prosecco DOC, this silky panettone is studded with plump Turkish sultanas and generous pieces of candied orange. Moist and deliciously light, it’s made at the Corsini family bakery in Tuscany using a unique mother dough nurtured over generations." Hard to beat, I'm sure you...

We went Christmas shopping in London's West End yesterday and agreed that if we were going to buy our Panettone anywhere, it would have to be at Carluccio's in St Christopher's Place . It's a great shop (and restaurant) and a great cake, and has firmly replaced Stollen as our favourite seasonal delicacy. Caffe Nero have some great little mini-panettones, perfect for a teatime bite.