Sweet buns from Italy
This year our family holiday destination was Italy which by the way happened after 4 years. Holiday is over and we are back to our routines. I realise that the time goes by very quickly, and we must try to create and hold on to, many beautiful memories. That was precisely what I had in mind, before planning this trip.
Kids are growing and soon they will not enjoy trips with us. Putting it more positively, trip with parents will not be in their priority list. Which is obvious and I gulp this thought with ease. Italy trip was a good experience. And here are a few pictures.
Italy is often referred as “Bel Paese” which means beautiful country.
See my instagram page for many more images of Italian travel Instagram
The epicentre of Roman Empire and the birthplace of Renaissance, Italy is a place where you get influenced by rich history. More to do with the way Italians maintain the cultural and heritage. There is a feeling of pride in their eyes, when they talk about their culture and food.
The culture, the architectural beauty leaves you amazed. The food somehow failed to impress me. Any Italian would dislike me for saying such a statement. But the fact is our Indian palate desires complexity in the flavour and texture of food. Italian food is simple, beautiful in its own way. But our taste buds are accustomed to spice in the dishes. A few desserts where out standing though. Tiramisu of course stands under the winner’s spot light. These buns too were amazing, very worthy of winning the stage space.
Delicious Maritozzi: A Sweet Italian Tradition
Maritozzi are the fluffy, aromatic, sweet buns that have captured the hearts of many connoisseurs of baking worldwide. They trace their roots to Rome. Interestingly, they were once used as a form of marriage proposal, where men would hide a ring within the bun to propose to their beloved. Which is why, Maritozzi got its name derived from Marito, the Italian word for husband.
These are filled with whipped cream and are the most popular breakfast pastry.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Whisk
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 dough kneading machine
- 1 Bench Scraper
Ingredients
- 4 cups All purpose flour
- 25 gm Sugar
- 1 tbsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 240 ml milk
- 40 gm Honey
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 60 ml oil
- 1 tsp orange zest or lemon zest
For Brushing the buns
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp milk
For Cream
- 360 ml dairy heavy cream
- 30 gm powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl or in a bowl of a stand mixer, place flour, sugar, yeast, salt and stir. Make a well and add milk, honey, egg, vanilla extract, oil and orange/lemon zest. Mix until dough is formed. Knead the dough for 7-8 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces (80g), roll each piece into a ball. Arrange the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them to rise. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
- In a small bowl whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush each bun with the egg wash. Bake the buns for 15 minutes, Until golden.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Make the cream: in a large bowl whip heavy cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Slice each bun across the top, without cutting the base. Fill each bun with the cream and smooth it out with a spatula.
- Top each bun with powdered sugar and serve
Nutrition
