Panettone – a Milanese sweet bread – is always on the shelves at Christmas-time but alarmingly not many of us in the newsroom had ever given it a try.
The News Shopper team of taste testers set their tastebuds to work to find out which of the supermarkets’ panettones is best...
MARKS AND SPENCER ALL-BUTTER PANETTONE (410g), £3
M&S’ sweet bread was small but perfectly formed. It’s citrusy zing, pleasant texture, good quality fruit and nuggets of sugar on the outside were all winners.
‘Better than sex’ was the verdict of one of our reviewers while the sugar was described as ‘like discovering beautiful sparkly baubles hidden in the depths of a tree behind the tinsel and hanging Santas’.
It’s freshness was ‘like taking a long walk on a cool Christmas morning – clear skies, green surroundings and pausing occasionally to feed the ducks’.
Score 8/10
TESCO FINEST PANETTONE (750g), £10
Not universally admired - it tasted ‘like someone had dropped a loaf of bread in a bubble bath and left it to dry for too long’, according to one of our testers.
“Stodgy like a dried-out spotted dick,” said another.
Others in the newsroom were more positive.
“Smelt like a Christmas cake. Was like jumping into a pool of butter with its rich taste. At the same time it managed to very light and fluffy,” said one.
Score 5/10
WAITROSE CLASSIC PANETTONE (500g), £6
A lack of fruit didn’t go down well - ‘is this the Panettone for naughty kids?’ questioned one tester – but the ‘light and classy’ flavour with well-balanced citrus and spice was popular.
“I had no idea a massive brown loaf could be so refreshing,” was one comment.
Score 7/10
FAVORINA PANETTONE CLASSICO, (1kg) at Lidl, £3.99
The texture was the most memorable aspect of Lidl’s panettone. It was compared to loft insulation by one reviewer yet ‘soft like a duvet of Siberian snowgoose down’ by another.
The final word goes to the reviewer who wrote: “I like my Panettone the same as my women – dainty, tasty and with just the right amount spice. Unfortunately specimen D (it was a blind taste test) was lumpy, bland and tasteless.”
Score 6/10
News Shopper’s verdict: A clear win for Tesco, which incidentally had the most attractive packaging too. It will make a nice gift when you pop round Aunty’s for tea.
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