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1
In bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook, combine 1/3 cup warm water (105u00b0F to 115u00b0F) and sugar. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add flour and mix at low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until tripled in volume, about 3 hours. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Stir down starter, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
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2
In small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup warm water (105u00b0F to 115u00b0F) and yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Attach bowl containing biga to standing mixer fitted with dough hook, pour in yeast mixture, and mix at low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, sugar, and flour and mix at medium speed until shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until tripled in volume, about 3 hours.
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3
Attach bowl containing dough to standing mixer fitted with dough hook and add flour, egg yolks, milk, honey, 1/4 cup sugar, and 10 tablespoons butter. Mix at medium speed until blended, about 3 minutes, then add salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Mix at medium speed until well blended, about 5 minutes more.
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4
With mixer running, add remaining 10 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at time. (Dough will become smooth and shiny and will pull away from sides of bowl.) Add candied fruit and raisins and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Form dough into ball and transfer to large bowl. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
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5
Preheat oven to 350u00b0F. Butter 2 (8-inch) or 8 (3 1/2-inch) paper panettone molds. Punch down dough, then turn out onto work surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces and form each into ball. (If using small molds, divide dough into 8 small balls.) Place 1 ball in each mold. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm, draft-free place until dough has risen past the rim and springs back when poked, about 1 hour.
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6
Bake until golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. To cool, stick 2 skewers through base of each mold and suspend bread upside down by resting skewers on 2 containers taller than bread. (This helps keep bread from deflating during cooling.)
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7
When loaves are cool, wrap well in plastic wrap, then in parchment or tissue paper. Store at room temperature.
