Nigella's Panettone Pudding for Christmas or Christmas in July

Hidden at the back of my pantry is a Panettonne, saved especially for Christmas in July.  Every year I use this ingredient as the centrepiece for a delicious dessert.  This is one of my favourite recipes from Nigella   Easy to prepare ahead and a small slice is a festive indulgence.  Hope you and yours enjoy it too!

Nigella Panettone Christmas Pudding by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation  allow      45 – 50 minutes   plus   10 minutes just before serving

Serves                        14 approx

Ingredients
        

800 grams approx. panettone cut into 1 inch thick slices, using a serrated knife

6 tablespoons tuaca liqueur

2 large eggs

75 grams caster sugar

500 grams mascarpone cheese

250 ml thickened cream

125 ml marsala

75 grams marrons glacés (crumbled pieces) from a Deli  or some dried fruit chopped

125 grams chopped good chocolate chips or chocolate

100 grams shelled pistachios (chopped)

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

METHOD

Use about a third of the panettone to line the bottom of a 22 cm springform cake tin. Tear off pieces to fit snugly.

Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the Tuaca so panettone lining is dampened.

Using an electric mixer whisk the eggs and sugar until very frothy

Slowly whisk the mascarpone and cream into the egg sugar mix.  Then gradually whisk in the Marsala until mixture is thick and spreadable.

Remove a cupful to another container, cover and put in the fridge; this is for the top layer, added just before you serve the cake.

Fold into the large mascarpone mixture, the marrons glacés, followed by ¾ of the chocolate chips and ¾ of the chopped pistachios.  The remainder is reserved for the topping.

Use half of this creamy filling to top the panettone layer lining the cake tin.

Use another third of the panettone slices to cover the cream layer. Dampen with another 2 tablespoons of liqueur.

Spoon on the other half of the cream mixture and spread it evenly. Then top with a third and final layer of panettone, covering the cream as before, and drizzle over it the last 2 tablespoons of liqueur.

Cover tightly with kitchen wrap, pressing down on the top a little to compress slightly, and put in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.

When ready to serve,

Remove cake from fridge, unmould and sit it on a flat plate or stand. Spread with reserved topping mascarpone mixture. Leave cake on plate as it will be too damp to move.

Scatter the top and sides with remaining chocolate and chopped pistachios and finally the red pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy!   Colleen