Panettone Classico - Based on Christopher Louie's Recipe

Hi all, new to posting here but have often scoured this site for good information. I've been working on making a good panettone for years now and am finally getting good results and finding consistency so I thought I'd share. I follow the traditional process, using a lievto madre, 3 short refreshments during the day before mixing the first dough at night and then I mix the second dough the next morning. 48 hours or so from start to the first slice. 

This is based on Christopher Louie's recipe found in the book Panettone et Viennoiserie au Levin. It is a great book and I learned a lot from it. I also learned a lot (especially about making panettone at home, rather than in a professional facility) by reading many posts and comments by @mwilsons here on this site.

I followed the recipe and mixing process closely with a few changes. Instead of all candied orange peel, I did a mix of orange and lemon peel. Same with the citrus paste, I used a mix of Meyer lemon and mandarin. Finally, I added vanilla extract. Otherwise everything else was the same. 

For the glaze I actually used a recipe @mwilson posted here a long time ago. It has become my go to. 

I've been using Caputo Oro Manitoba, which is great, strong flour (flour stats are on the product page). I maintain my lievito madre using this flour as well. I use the bound method because I think it's easier and cleaner. I usually do a daily bagnetto. For a long, long time I was using various weaker flour, and only giving my LM maintenance refreshments. Once I got stronger flour and started doing short refreshments often (even on non baking days), over the course of a couple weeks my LM started to get stronger. I absolutely believe that this and the stronger flour are why I am finally getting good results in the bake now. More photos of this bake below along side some previous attempts. 

Finally, I also added some steam to this latest bake. Not sure how this impacted the bake. It would be interesting to try a side by side. I still have room to improve but it is nice to feel like I have made progress. 

Here is an unglazed one from the same bake.

Image

Here is the crumb.

Image

Here is my LM. Bound/ Start of Short Refreshment/ End of Short Refreshment 

Image

Here are some old failed attempts (these are just a few of MANY). See the fake rise here? The glaze rose, but not the loaf.

Image

No dome!

Image

Hope to post more with even better rise and more open alveoli!