Almond Panettone

This panettone works double duty, satisfying a craving for not just one Italian treat, but two!

The bonus confection of this Christmas cake is another classic northern Italian treat: almond nougat. The nougat, a combination of honey, egg whites, sugar and almonds is delicious by itself, but I love what it does to the cake. Chunks of nougat are folded into the dough. When it bakes, the nougat melts into the cake, infusing it with the aromas of honey and almonds.

Lovely with tea, coffee, or topped with a scoop of vanilla gelato. And though it has no preservatives, the panettone will last for months—so even if it gets lost under the tree in the midst of all the festivities, it'll still be great when you rediscover it days or weeks later.