Maritozzi with Cream

Duration: 40 min ( + 4 h resting)

Difficulty: Challenging

Origin: Lazio

Maritozzi with cream are a typical dessert of Rome. This dessert is a tender sweet loaf, cut in half and filled with whipped cream. Its name seems to derive from the custom of giving this dessert during the engagement during the man’s declaration to the woman. The engagement ring was hidden in this cake. Tender raisins can be added to the Maritozzi dough (some even add pine nuts and candied orange peel). Today they are often served for breakfast in many bars in the capital.

Ingredients

For 4 people:

• 200 g of 00 flour
• 180 g of Manitoba Flour
• 50 g of sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 egg + 1 yolk
• 60 g of seed oil
• 125 ml of milk
• 7 g of brewer’s yeast
• 1 lemon peel
• 1 sachet of vanillin
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 mL of fresh whipping cream

How to Proceed

First we prepare the yeast. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in 25 mL of milk. When it has melted, add 15 g of sugar, 20 g of flour, a teaspoon of honey and mix well.

The final consistency of the mixture will be rather liquid. Leave the yeast to rise for 30 minutes in a dry place. Once the necessary time has passed, you will find that the yeast will be denser and ready to be further kneaded.

Add the remaining sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, the vanilla sachet, the oil and the milk. Mix everything very well with a whisk or if you prefer with the hook of a planetary mixer.

At this point add the flours and knead vigorously until the dough becomes soft and elastic.

Place the dough in a dry place and let it rise for 3 hours. Once the necessary time has passed, you will find the dough doubled in volume.

Divide the dough into four large or six medium or eight small loaves. The shape must be strictly oval. Place the Maritozzi on a baking tray after covering it with baking paper. Beat an egg yolk with a spoonful of milk and brush the Maritozzi with the resulting mixture.

Let the husbandzzi grow for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, heat the oven to 180°C. Once the necessary time has passed, bake for about 20 minutes. Check the cooking with a toothpick and, if ready, take them out of the oven.

Let the Maritozzi cool and, in the meantime, whip the fresh cream with a whisk. When the cream is very frothy and soft you can stop. As soon as the Maritozzi have cooled, cut them in the middle, fill them with plenty of whipped cream and serve.