Happy accident: Two Magpies launches a whopping 2kg panettone for Christmas

21-Nov-2023 - Last updated on 22-Nov-2023 at 09:44 GMT

Two Magpies' panettone is available in limited quantities for delivery across the UK. Pic: Two Magpies

Related tags Two Magpies Bakery panettone Bakery online retail

Following a mix up with quantities of ingredients, the UK bakery group created a giant Italian sweet bread – associated with Christmas and instantly recognisable for its tall, domed shape – which it believes will be a whopping hit with consumers, too.

Some of the world’s greatest inventions were borne from accident.

Way back in 1905 in San Francisco, 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a sugary soda outside on a winter’s night. By morning, it had turned into a tasty ice, a treat he originally coined an Epsicle, before patenting it as a Popsicle in 1924.

The Tarte Tatin, too, came from delicious mistake during a particularly busy lunch service. At the end of the 19^th century, chef Stéphanie Tatin – who ran a hotel in Lamotte-Beuvron with her sister Caroline – over-caramelised apples in the oven. In an attempt to hide her error, she covered them with dough and the iconic tart was born.

And when it comes to the world’s favourite snack, legend has it that a particularly surly chef called George Crumb took umbrage to a compliant that the potato chips were too thick and soft. Taking revenge, he fried them to a crisp – much to the diner’s delight.

In what is presumed a first for a UK bakery, Two Magpies is hoping its mistake could have a similar happy ending.

“The creation of this huge panettone was completely by accident due to a mix up with quantities, but it looked so amazing - and tasted fabulous - that we’ve decided to roll it out as a Christmas special,” said operations director Yasmin Wyatt.

“We don’t believe anyone in the region and possibly any UK baker is making a panettone as large as this one.”

The Dark Chocolate & Fig Panettone weighs 2kg and is pitched as the perfect showstopper to feed at least 24 hungry people. Crafted by hand using carefully sourced ingredients, the larger-than-life creation even comes with a recipe card for a panettone bread and butter pudding to use up the leftovers.

“The panettone uses a huge amount of ingredients, including 200 grams of figs, 200 grams of chocolate and 100 grams of Pedro Ximenez sherry,” added Wyatt.

“We’ll only be making a small number of these huge cakes, so they are really exclusive."

The whopper is available online from Two Magpies Bakery Group - which runs nine bakery cafes across Suffolk and Norfolk - for delivery nationwide.