All I want for Christmas is panettone

Some people are just starting to prepare it, while others have already been at work since about mid-November, like pastry chefs all over the canton. The ingredients are simple - flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, with a little added dried and / or candied fruit - but the most important ingredient is the sourdough starter that gives the dough its characteristic development time and aromas. With all the kneading, leavening, and leaving to rest, it takes over 30 hours to perfectly craft this symbol of confectionery tradition. This sweet bread typically has a cylindrical base with a soft dome on top. It is brown in color, soft to the touch, and sweet to the taste. In this particular period of the year, the star of the Christmas holidays in Ticino is panettone.
This dessert, originally from Milan, was once considered a luxury food that few could afford, but nowadays it is indispensable under any Christmas tree.
Walking through the streets of Mendrisio, your attention is captured by the shop window of the Bottega del Fornaio. Giuseppe Piffaretti, a.k.a. Mastro Piff, has been baking artisanal panettone here for more than 40 years. Not only that, he is also the man behind the Panettone World Cup, the event par excellence dedicated to this symbol of confectionery tradition, which is held in Lugano every 2 years.