In addition to the typical marzipan and nougat, there is another sweet that arouses real passion at Christmas: the panettone.
Originally from Italy, this dessert is part of the emotional landscape of many: it is a tradition and synonymous with sharing. It is present at dinners and family gatherings, with friends and is the gift you know you will always get right. In Italy, the panettone season starts as soon as the cold weather sets in, around November, and lasts until February.
Here we select some of the best artisan panettones that can be tasted in Madrid, from the hands of those who have managed to find the secret so that their texture and flavor make them a must for lovers of this sweet.
1. Panadaríø
The artisan panettone of this bakery in the neighborhood of Guindalera is one of the most sought after in Madrid. It doesn’t matter that it is one of the most difficult bakery products to make: in Panadaríø they do it well and that’s why they fly off the shelves every year. The secret of its flavor and texture is, they say, that it ferments only with natural sourdough special for panettone. Among its fixed flavors are the classic and double chocolate, but they are not afraid to surprise their loyal customers every year with new flavors.
💸 42€ (1kg)
📍 Calle de Alonso Heredia, 25 (Guindalera).
2. Zúccaru
At Zúccaru the panettone is imported from a traditional Sicilian pastry shop: Fiasconaro. The success of this panettone is due to three elements: the time -only the natural fermentation of the sourdough is used, which can last up to 3 days-, the ingredients -giving priority to products from Palermo- and the people -the whole elaboration process is handmade-. In addition to its unique taste and aroma, its sweets are presented in traditional packaging, boxes or tins with Sicilian folklore motifs designed by the Italian firm Dolce&Gabanna.
💸 From €18 to €65.
📍 Calle Vergara, 16 (Centro) and Calle Palafox, 20 (Trafalgar).
3. Big Mamma
The Big Mamma group, creators of the Italian restaurants Bel Mondo and Villa Capri, have launched their most traditional panettone with chocolate. Only 200 units will be sold and for one month, from November 23 to December 23. In addition, one of the panettones will be awarded with a golden ticket to give away a trip for two to visit the Valrhona chocolate factory near Lyon, France. You can buy it online, but they don’t ship to your home, you have to pick it up at Bel Mondo.
💸 18€
📍 Calle Velázquez, 39 (Salamanca district)
4. CasaBase
Artisanal, natural and multi-awarded. These are the panettone made by Infermentium and sold at CasaBase, a supermarket specializing in Italian products. The classic is made with organic raisins, candied orange (according to the natural French method) and Madagascar bourbon vanilla. Other flavors are available, such as chocolate, apple, fig and walnut and pandoro. All of them with a natural fermentation of 36 h that makes them -for flavor, aroma and texture- a must for this list.
Classic panettone: 38.9 € (1 kg).
📍 Calle Núñez de Balboa, 34 (Salamanca).
5. Panod
In Panod they made panettones before they enjoyed the popularity they have achieved in the last two years. For half a decade now, one of the best bakeries in Madrid has been making its two panettones: the classic and the chocolate one. Nothing simpler, nothing more wonderful (reservations are recommended).
💸 32,95 € (950 g).
📍 Calle de Prim, 1 (Chueca); Avenida de Europa, 23 (Pozuelo); Plaza de la Moraleja, s/n (Alcobendas) and Calle Manuel de Falla, 3 (Majadahonda).
6. Mallorca Pastry Shop
Pastelería Mallorca is a gastronomic reference in Madrid, and also one of the first bakeries that began to prepare handmade panettones when supermarkets were full of industrial ones. It is not a simple recipe, this family business has needed years to gain the necessary expertise. That’s why its brioche dough with eggs, flour and butter has such a good texture, as well as a delicious flavor in its traditional version with candied fruit.
💸 From €20.
7. PanDomè
Domenico Rosso is in charge of this bakery where everything is handmade, including their pizzas. Of course, this Italian makes one of the best panettones in Madrid and at a very tight price per kilo, in fact, Rosso confesses to Madrid Secreto that it is possible that the price will rise soon. Here they make the bun weekly and it sells out almost the same day they put it on sale, so if you want to get one it’s almost better to reserve it in advance.
29 € (1 kg).
📍 Tirso de Molina Market (Doña Urraca street, 15) and Martín de Vargas street, 6 (Palos de la Frontera).
8. Rocambolesc
The Madrid ice cream parlor of the youngest of the Roca brothers needs no introduction. When winter arrives, Rocambolesc’s fantasies change temperature and are transformed into homemade chocolate, nougat and its revered panettones. This year, they present a limited edition of El Celler de Can Roca made with sourdough fermented slowly for 48 hours and with first class ingredients: the Traditional, with raisins, candied orange and lemon, and the Cacao, with 68% Ecuadorian chocolate Casa Cacao, gianduja and dried apricots.
32 € (500 g) and 65 € (1 kg).
📍 San Miguel Market (Plaza de San Miguel, 13)
9. La Panotheca
La Panotheca distributes its bakeries (and delicacies) in the Retiro and Argüelles neighborhoods. For its famous panettones, La Panotheca uses sourdough, flour, butter, sugar, fresh eggs, honey, vanilla pods, water and salt, all without chemicals or additives.
The production process takes a long time to allow the dough to ferment slowly and shape the interior cavities. Their varieties, with a spongy texture, have raisins or chocolate chips. This December, they are launching a raisin and candied orange panettone.
💸 16 € (500 g).
📍 Avenida de Menéndez Pelayo, 19 (Ibiza) and Calle de Cea Bermúdez, 10 (Chamberí).
10. La Duquesita by Oriol Balaguer
Oriol Balaguer, the king of contemporary pastry, signs the star Christmas dessert of La Duquesita, the most famous confectioner’s shop in Madrid since its opening in 1914. The Catalan pastry chef has convinced the experts and proof of this is the award for Best Artisan Panettone in Spain. Balaguer uses sourdough and long fermentations to obtain this dough with a cottony texture and unique honeycombing. Its panettones, chestnuts, fruit and chocolate, exude citrus and cedar aroma, and taste of raisins and butter.
30 € (1 kg).
📍 Calle de Fernando VI, 2 (Chueca).
As this list shows, you don’t have to leave Madrid to try one of these traditional sweets. Of course: it won’t be easy to choose, because all these artisan panettones are worthy guests at any Christmas table.