December 7th - HAPPY MARITOZZO DAY !
A Roman classic, the maritozzo is a breakfast pastry consisting of a sweet, yeasty bun that is split open at the top and filled generously with lavish dollops of whipped cream.
The confection has surprisingly romantic origins: grooms-to-be gave them to the women they wanted to marry, hence the name maritozzo ("marito" means husband, in Italian).
An excellent strategy, as far as we're concerned!
SERVINGS : 20
PREP TIME : 24 hours
LEVEL : Hard
INGREDIENTS :
For the sponge
100g all purpose flour
5g of fresh yeast or 2.5 or dry yeast
100g of luke warm whole milk
For the dough
55g sugar
10g honey
125g whole eggs
175g whole milk
7.5g fresh yeast or 4g dry yeast
400g bread flour
8g malt powder
75g olive oil
10g salt
The zest of one orange
For the filling
1 litre of whipping cream
150g icing sugar
1 vanilla bean
DIRECTIONS :
To make the sponge
Dissolve the yeast in the milk, add the flour, mix well, cover and let rest until doubled in bulk.
To make the dough
In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add the dry ingredients, including the zest. Mix well.
Add the eggs and the sponge and keep mixing at low speed until dough is smooth and elastic then add the oil gradually until fully absorbed.
Leave the dough at room temperature for an hour then wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
After the dough has rested 8 hours divide it into 50-60g pieces making sure the make a neat and tight balls. Let rest 15 mins and then give the balls a more elongated shape - like an american football or english rugby ball.
Place on a baking tray and let rise for a couple of hours or until doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F.
Brush the maritozzo with an egg wash and bake for about 20 mins. Let cool completely then cut a wedge out of the side of the maritozzo and prepare your whipping cream.
When you cream is almost at a stiff peak, use it to fill the opening in your maritozzo brioche (as pictured above).