One of our favorite things about the holiday season here at FreshDirect is feasting on panettone. Happily, our friend and esteemed food historian, Francine Segan, shares this sentiment too! After discovering our mutual passion for panettone, Francine sent us her five favorite ways to enjoy this traditional Italian cake.

Panettone making follows an extraordinarily elaborate and time-consuming process—taking over 40 hours. It’s kneaded and left to rise several times before baking, with flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and candied fruit added in stages. Finally, once each cake has been allowed to rise in its own little panettone paper container, it’s baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic, packed up by hand, and sent on its way. Although delicious on its own, here are five creative ways to take panettone to the next level:

1) Panettone Panini
Toast, slather with Falanga’s Sicilian almond or pistachio cream. Or, fill slices with chopped dark chocolate and toast in panini press.

2) Panettone Bread Pudding
Layers of panettone, beaten eggs, cream, sugar, dollops jam, mascarpone, chopped chocolate and/or fruit. Bake at 350°F until set.

3) Panettone “Bellini”
In serving glass, layer slices panettone, splash prosecco or Asti Spumante, peaches, chocolate, whipped cream. Top with pretty sugar and almonds, if you like.

4) Ice Cream Cake
Hollow panettone, fill with ice cream, freeze. Serve with your favorite toppings. Use the center for above desserts.

5) Caramelized Panettone
Melt butter in skillet. Sprinkle panettone with grappa and sugar on both sides, fry, flip, serve warm.

Pick up your holiday panettone here!