Mini panettones filled with cream, custard, and fruit

Name: Mini panettones filled with cream, custard, and fruit
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: Panettoncini 4; Grand Marnier liqueur 1 small glass; Strawberries 4; Currants 1 sprig; Blackberries 4; Whole milk 1 cup; Egg yolks 3; Cornstarch 3 tbsp; Sugar 6 tbsp; Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup; Vanilla bean ½; Powdered sugar 1 ½ tbsp

934

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 934
Carbohydrates g 127.2
of which sugars g 74
Protein g 17
Fats g 35.3
of which saturated fat g 18.15
Fiber g 6.8
Cholesterol mg 466
Sodium mg 122

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 15 min
Serving: 3
Cost: Average
Note + the preparation time for the custard

PRESENTATION

Golden mini panettones filled with creamy custard, smooth cream, and fresh fruit bring everyday celebrations up a notch—these beautiful little treats, with their fluffy texture and classic Italian vibe, pretty much always grab attention at family gatherings. Each mini panettone shines with a perfect dome and soft inside, while the sweet shell holds in all the DECADENT stuff—creamy center, REAL fruit, and just enough richness to keep dessert fans smiling. Kids and adults love the nice surprise you get with every bite (something different every time!) and that makes these holiday desserts just right for busy family holiday tables. Special occasions, weekend dinners, and Christmas mornings all feel a bit more festive because every guest gets their own little Italian treat—makes holiday parties feel way more personal, with less mess. Host friends, treat the family, or bring a platter as a gift (always a wow factor thanks to the bright colors and fluffy bread stacked up high with filling).

Busy families looking for festive desserts that feel easy yet still special will totally love these versatile panettone recipes—less hassle, more flavor, and everyone feels like they got their own fancy dessert moment! Big bonus: you can switch things up for every season...swap in strawberries or peaches, try a cream-filled panettone with a touch of spice, or go all-in with classic custard-filled panettone. These are FUN for brunch, simple for kids' parties, and smart for anything that needs a little Italian flair. Most folks appreciate the way these mini desserts keep parties neat (easy grab-and-go...no slicing or plating mess) while still looking beautiful on big sharing trays. It’s REALLY easy to scale up for a crowd, and, since they use real Italian Christmas desserts as inspiration, every bite feels a little extra—that’s probably why home cooks keep these dessert ideas in their back pocket for anything from birthday parties to special movie nights. Great taste, simple serving, and a sweet, rich experience—this dessert checks all the boxes for regular bakers and all those families who want tradition with a twist!

INGREDIENTS

934

Calories per serving

Ingredients for 4 mini panettones: Panettoncini 4; Grand Marnier liqueur 1 small glass; Strawberries 4; Currants 1 sprig; Blackberries 4

For the diplomatic cream: Whole milk 1 cup (250 g); Egg yolks 3; Cornstarch 3 tbsp (25 g); Sugar 6 tbsp (75 g); Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup (180 g); Vanilla bean ½; Powdered sugar 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Mini panettones filled with cream, custard, and fruit

To prepare the mini panettones filled with cream and fruit, start with the Pastry cream, which will be the base of the Diplomat cream (Custard cream and whipped cream): place a large saucepan on the heat with the milk; then slit the vanilla pod with a small knife and extract the seeds to add along with the pod to the milk 1. Turn on the gentle heat and when the mixture has reached a simmer, turn off the heat and let the vanilla infuse for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, continue the preparation by separating the egg whites from the yolks; collect the latter in a large bowl and add the sugar 2 (with the leftover egg whites, you can prepare a delicious Angel Cake, some meringues, or Lingue di gatto (flat cookies)). Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar with an electric mixer or a hand whisk to obtain a smooth cream. When they are white and frothy, add the sifted cornstarch 3 or rice starch and blend it with the rest of the mixture.

Remove the vanilla pod from the heated milk and add the yolk mixture 4. Turn on the gentle heat again and stir continuously with a whisk to thicken the mixture 5. When the cream is well thickened, turn off the heat and pour it into a low, wide dish; cover it immediately with contact plastic wrap so that an annoying crust does not form 6; then let it cool first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, prepare the whipped cream that you will need to add to the custard to prepare the diplomatic cream: in the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the fresh liquid cream 7 start to whip, then sift in the powdered sugar 8, and blend it with a spatula into the whipped cream 9.

Add the whipped cream to the now cold custard 10 and mix initially with a spatula from top to bottom so as not to deflate it, then with a whisk 11 until you get a frothy and homogeneous mixture 12. Transfer the diplomatic cream into a piping bag with a star tip.

Take the mini panettones and carefully remove the paper wrapping around them 13, being careful not to damage their surface. Cut off the top caps and with a small knife hollow out the inside of the mini panettones (staying about 1/2 inch from the outer edges) 14, then extract the dough 15, which you will cut into discs to form the layers to alternate with the cream.

Lightly brush the mini panettones with Grand Marnier (or another fruity liqueur such as Maraschino or Cointreau) 16. Using a piping bag, place about 1/2 inch of diplomatic cream on the base 17. Then place 2 raspberries on each mini panettone and place a disc of mini panettone on top of them 18 and cover again with the diplomatic cream.

Garnish the top by decorating with tufts of cream 19; cut the caps you had set aside in half lengthwise and place them on the mini panettone, while the other half can be decorated with the fruit to be divided for each filled mini panettone 20. Sprinkle with powdered sugar 21 and your mini panettones filled with cream and fruit are ready to be enjoyed!

Storage

The stuffed mini panettones can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days, without the fruit as decoration, because it tends to moisten the mixture.

Freezing the filled mini panettones is not recommended, while the custard or diplomatic cream can be frozen, although freezing may affect the consistency of the creams.

Advice

If, when you remove the center of the mini panettone, the dough breaks or crumbles, don't worry: cut it into pieces and use it this way to form the layers that will divide the cream or whipped cream. It might also happen that during the extraction the bottom of the mini panettone gets a hole: even in this case, do not worry. Take one or two discs of dough (or pieces) and keeping the mini panettone resting on a surface, press them well on the bottom to plug the hole.

You can also flavor the diplomatic cream with unsweetened cocoa powder!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.