Haigh's Chocolate Citrus Panettone

Biga

½ cup (75g) bread flour (eg. Lauke Wallaby)

2 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast

½ cup (125ml) tepid water

Dough

3/4 cup (100g) dried sour cherries

1 ½ tablespoons Cointreau

100g unsalted butter, softened or grated

⅓ cup (120g) honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of orange

4 extra-large eggs

3 cups (450g) bread flour (eg. Lauke Wallaby)

¼ teaspoon salt

100g Haigh’s Dark Chocolate Pastilles, quartered

1. For the biga, combine flour, yeast and water together in a small mixing bowl, stirring until well combined. Cover and leave to stand for an hour or until mixture is bubbling and has doubled in size.
2. Meanwhile, combine cherries and Cointreau together in a small saucepan, over a medium-low heat stirring until combined. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow fruit to soak up liquid and cool down. Set aside until required.
3. For the dough, combine softened butter, honey, vanilla and zest together in bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat mixture until pale and creamy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined. The mixture will separate but will come together later. Add the bubbling biga, mixing to combine. With the electric mixer on low, slowly add flour ½ cup at a time, mixing between each addition until well combined. Change the paddle attachment to the dough hook and knead the sticky mixture for 10 minutes until a dough forms and becomes soft, smooth and elastic. 
4. Place dough on a clean lightly floured surface and spread into a 30cm disk. Add the drunken cherries and chocolate to the centre and bring the sides of the dough up to enclose. Slowly massage the inclusions into the dough until evenly distributed. Place dough in a large lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot to prove for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and lightly oil 8 dariole moulds or line a giant 12-hole muffin pan with 8 x paper cases.
6. Tip dough onto a clean lightly floured surface and gently knock the dough back. Evenly divide dough into 8 equal portions and gently shape into balls. Place balls in prepared moulds, cover and leave to prove for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. 
7. Combine remaining egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Brush tops with egg glaze. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or are golden and bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool slightly before serving with butter or cool completely before packaging up in airtight bags, as gifts.*

NOTE: if giving as a gift, it is best to give a serving suggestion of reheating panettone in microwave or oven and eating it warm with butter.