I tested all the supermarket Panettones – winner looked like it was from an expensive deli but came from unlikely shop
PANETTONE is fast becoming a Christmas favourite with Brits.
The traditional festive cake from Italy now appears in an array of tempting flavours.
But which are worth splashing your hard-earned cash on?
Laura Stott tried a selection and gave her verdict on the best for a buon Natale, with marks out of five.
Specially Selected Pistachio, 750g, £5.99, Aldi
THIS really delivers the pistachio flavour it promises, with good amounts of moreish nutty cream as well as a decent load of chocolate chips scat-tered throughout.
The brioche-style sponge is a little crumbly and dry, though this is offset when you hit the moist filling.
Possibly a little over-baked, it’s one of the most cake-like to tuck into of all those I tried – so I’d suggest you simply scoff this by the slice when it comes with a nice cup of tea, or a stronger tipple.
Rating: 4
Finest Tiramisu £12.50, 790g, Tesco
TESCO Italian dessert-themed treat comes in a whopper of a box, which will set you back more than most of the other options.
So it’s disappointing that the sponge itself is actually a bit smaller than the packaging might lead you to believe.
The coffee, cream and chocolate flavours were not abundant and the sponge was dry.
And the sauce is in random blobs so you don’t get even amounts in every slice.
The main filling was, in reality, just the bits of fruit.
Rating: 1
Deluxe Chocolate And Orange, 800g, £6.99, Lidl
LOVELY buttery bread which tastes very rich and indulgent, but remains light and fluffy too, packed with plentiful amounts of dark- chocolate chips and nibs of orange peel.
This is a more traditional pale-coloured- style slice, with the flavours kept fairly subtle, and there’s no cream swirled through it so it is a drier cake – though it would pair perfectly with a cheeky glass of Christmas sherry.
A useful, affordable all-rounder to have in your cupboard.
Rating: 4
Nomma Limoncello 500g, £6, Tesco
I LOVED the packaging of this Italian-brand panettone, and with ten per cent limoncello listed in the ingredients I had high hopes for an authentic-tasting cake at a really good price.
While this was still very pleasant, it just needed a bit more excitement because everything was just a bit average-tasting.
There was a nice citrus flavour, but very subtle, and the sponge was also perfectly fine but not outstanding.
And more candied fruit pieces would have been nice to see.
Rating: 3
Taste The Difference Limoncello, 800g, £10.50, Sainsbury’s
IT isn’t the cheapest on store shelves this year but is packaged absolutely beautifully with its gorgeous box tied up with a large yellow bow.
The cake, made with concentrated butter, was nice and moist, and there’s a limoncello filling topped with a hazelnut glaze and sugar nibs.
And 12 per cent liqueur gives it a nice festive kick, too.
Not overly sweet, and it smells delicious.
Rating: 4
Gran Ducale Tiramisu And Chocolate Chip 750g, £12.99, Amazon
This authentic Italian-made panettone looks like you picked it up from an expensive deli, and no one will guess it actually came from the online delivery service.
Delivers an incredible taste and eating experience too, with its soft and fluffy sponge having exactly the right texture, and an abundance of coffee cream as well as divine choc pieces clearly made with top-quality cocoa.
Far more filling than most of its rivals, and well worth paying a couple of pounds more for.
Rating: 5