Roy Schvartzapel is no stranger to panettone, the proof paved throughout the road to realizing his namesake product and rolodex of mentors who guided him along the way. First learning from and working for some of the most distinguished culinary icons like Pierre Hermé, Ferran Adria, Thomas Keller, and then world panettone master, Iginio Massari, Roy embarked on a panettone endeavor defined by obsessive meticulousness and careful execution. From Roy, is a product of nearly a decade of perfecting his panettone, which begins with a lievito madre or “mother yeast,” that is carefully nurtured and married with the highest quality ingredients possible to spawn what he calls “the Mt. Everest of the baking world.” One look at his sky high, Gaudi-like panettone explains it all. We sat down with Roy to find out what exactly goes into making his panettone, and his tips for how to best enjoy it.
Panettone (via From Roy Facebook)
Roy’s approach to panettone is grounded in simplicity, a stark juxtaposition of everything that panettone actually is. With a relentless goal of excellence and commitment to the traditional Italian craftsmanship of panettone making, his proficiency paired with his dreams of what panettone could be are what drives him to produce a product that continues to impress Americans nationwide.
Roy shared that the panettone making process is unlike any other in the baking world, living in “a universe all to itself.” With the highest degree of difficulty, he professed that mastering all components of the process, including lengthy fermentations, specific mixing methodologies, the care of the lievito madre , etc.. is “almost unattainable.” Each and every panettone is a quest an opportunity for achieving taste attributes such as “moist”, “light”, “decadent”, and “ethereal”, which Roy confessed are simultaneously ideal and contradictory in nature. That said, his passion is largely rooted in a mission to extinguish the reputation that panettone has acquired due to the overwhelming abundance of mass produced, commercial varieties. “I was determined to show how incredible this product really is. That, in fact, it’s much closer to white truffle and caviar than it is to the awful product that we see in grocery stores.”
From Roy: 3 Tips
There are a few tips that Roy shared to guarantee optimal enjoyment of his panettone:
1. With a shelf life of 30 days, it is best to keep it tightly sealed in the bag that it arrives in at room temperature, away from direct sunlight or heat to maintain freshness.
2. When slicing, use a serrated knife and cut the panettone in half vertically, through the paper mould, and again into smaller pieces of your liking.
3. Roy’s panettone is best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warmed alongside coffee, tea or dessert wine.
Gucci Osteria
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Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Beverly Hills, an intimate restaurant by world-renowned three-Michelin-star Chef Massimo Bottura, situated on the roof of Gucci’s Los Angeles store, has launched a limited edition traditional panettone and a version with orange and gianduia chocolate, encased in a striking Gucci-designed tin, to celebrate this festive season. Each panettone is packaged in a beautiful, limited edition pink tin box designed by Gucci for the occasion, which depicts the Gucci Eye motif created by the very talented Lukas Palumbo. The Gucci Osteria traditional panettone and the version with orange and gianduia chocolate are proposed in 1kg size and available to purchase from Gucci Osteria Beverly Hills. Orders from the US can be made by contacting the restaurant on gucciosteria.bh@gucci.com.
Gucci Panettone (ph Gucci)