Free-From Panettone by Dr Schar
It has been an age since I was able to enjoy a slice of panettone, or two - but last week I think I ate nearly the whole loaf when my daughter brought home a Schär free-from* panettone from work. In my defence it was a small loaf by comparison to many others, but it tasted really great.
Having read the mixed reviews online, I wasn't sure what to expect with this product. Many free-from bread items are still too powdery and dry, lacking in substance and flavour. It has reached the point where I only buy Schär gluten-free crispbreads and stick to homemade bread rolls.
When this large boxed, little loaf dropped on my desk I felt slightly cheated, as size really does matter. However, taste and texture are also utmost in any tasting session.
I decided to dig right in, slice the loaf and add some yoghurt to it in a bowl. Well, it was after dinner - and dessert time - so it seemed acceptable. We did share half as a family for dessert but the taste was such a delight that I went back and pulled the rest into chunks, added some buttery spread and munched away. The taste and texture were a real surprise considering it is so free-from. It was soft, not chewy as expected, and really light.
We loved it so much we decided it was a must for Christmas, but sadly to date we have not found a supermarket with it on the shelves. If we can find another loaf, we will be slicing it sensibly and lightly toasting it to see how well it brings out the flavour, and what effect it has on the light texture. And take pictures - because we really weren't expecting to love it so much, and when we did - it was gone in seconds.
Our hunt continues...
*gluten free - wheat free - lactose free - vegetarian - no palm oil - preservative free