PRE-DOUGH (POOLISH)
The first thing we will prepare is the poolish 12 hours before proceeding with the actual dough preparation of our maritozzi with pastry cream.
- In a bowl, prepare 125g of room temperature water in which you will dissolve 0.6g of fresh yeast.
- Add 125 g of Manitoba type “0” flour to it and mix until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Cover and let the poolish ferment at 20°C for 12 hours
KNEADING
For the preparation of this type of dough, it is recommended to use a stand mixer or a spiral mixer, but good results can also be achieved with a hand mixer equipped with the correct beaters. Wait until the pre-dough is ready (it should have doubled in volume and slightly collapsed in the center), then:
- Insert the poolish, yeast, malt, honey, remaining flour, and all egg whites into the mixing bowl of the stand mixer and start on low speed until you obtain a dry mass.
- Add about 1/3 of the butter and as soon as the dough starts to come together, add the rest.
- Now add the salt and alternate adding the egg yolks and sugar in 3 or 4 times, and if necessary, increase the mixing speed.
- Once all the other ingredients are added, add the grated lemon zest, the seeds from the vanilla pod, and knead until you get a smooth, opaque, and silky dough.
- Transfer the dough onto the work surface, let it rest for 10 minutes and then do a couple of folds to strengthen it.
POINT (first rising)
While the dough is resting, clean your tools and butter a tall and narrow container of 5 or 6 liters, such as this Gastronorm container of 6 liters.
- After shaping the dough into an oval shape, place it into the buttered container and close it with its lid.
- Let it rest at room temperature (20-22°C) until it doubles in volume; it should take about 2 hours. The rectangular shape and transparency of the container are not to be underestimated, as they will greatly help you to have a certain visual reference of how much the dough is rising and will make it easier for you in the next step.
- After the time has passed, transfer the dough onto a work surface, give it a fold, and put it back in the container for an hour at room temperature and then another hour in the fridge.
The cold dough will greatly facilitate the cutting and shaping of the dough balls.
SHAPING (forming the balls)
Before starting this phase, take 3 iron-aluminum baking sheets and line them with parchment paper. Then, once the dough has completed its final rise, you will need to divide it into small pieces weighing 50g each.
There is no one better system than others, work in the way that makes you feel more comfortable. proceed in this way:
- Spezzo tutto l’impasto con un piccolo raschietto come la nostra spatola flessibile, cercando di essere il più preciso possibile.
- I fold all the pieces onto themselves to give them a “decent” pre-shape.
- Then I fold all the pieces onto themselves to give them a “decent” pre-shape. After that, I gently roll the dough balls on the work surface to give them a perfectly round shape (real maritozzi should be round or at most slightly oval) and I place 6 of them on each tray.
- Then I cover them with an upside-down tray and let my bombette dough rise for about 3 hours at 25°C (in the oven with the light on or with the rising function) until they have doubled in size or more.
THE PASTRY CREAM
The best time to prepare the pastry cream is while our dough balls are rising.
- Heat up the milk together with the cream and lemon peels (do not let it boil).
- In a saucepan, add all the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch and mix until obtaining a smooth cream.
- Add the filtered milk and cream in three batches, stirring thoroughly each time. Turn on the stove and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, then turn off the heat.
- Immerse the pot in a bowl of water and ice, continue to stir quickly to “cool down” the cream until it is shiny and smooth.
- Put it in a piping bag and keep it in the fridge until needed.
COOKING
Great! Let’s move on to baking our maritozzi!
- Preheat the oven in static mode to 200°C, brush the surface of each “maritozzo” with a mixture of egg yolk and milk, and bake one tray at a time on the middle shelf.
- After the first 5 minutes of baking, lower the oven temperature to 180°C and continue for another 7-8 minutes (if possible, measure the internal temperature of the maritozzi, which should be between 92 and 96°C).
FARCING
While the maritozzi cool down, whip the cream with 10g of sugar per liter of product. Then:
- Cut each maritozzo in half with a 45° angle, fill the center with the pastry cream, top with whipped cream, and remove any excess with a cake spatula.
- Arrange them on a serving tray and dust them generously with powdered sugar
- Enjoy your cream-filled maritozzi and savor every bite!
CONCLUDING
Done, we have finished the recipe for maritozzi with pastry cream filling! I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did, and that a world of possibilities for different fillings has opened up to you.
If you prepare the maritozzi, don’t hesitate to post your photos on Instagram and tag @giochidigusto. I would be delighted to see the results of your experiments. If you have any questions or curiosities to delve into, feel free to send me a message on Instagram => by clicking here
Thank you for following me in this culinary adventure and see you at the next recipe!
