“Maritozzi” Italian sweet buns.

Maritozzi is a fluffy brioche bun filled with fresh vanilla-infused whipped cream, and it is Roman’s favorite breakfast!

WHAT’S MARITOZZI?

Have you ever heard of “Maritozzi”? Those delicious Italian sweet buns are a Roman staple.

A delicate brioche made with the best Italian olive oil, filled with vanilla bean whipped cream.

Every little pastry shop in Rome has its version, and Roman people go crazy for it. If you’re planning the eternal city, you should definitely stop by “Roscioli caffe” one way stop for espresso, pizza ripiena, and of course, maritozzi.

Despite being everywhere in Rome, they are still hard to find elsewhere, so I’m thrilled to bring this recipe to you.

There are usually double in size, but I made this smaller version since I’m getting old and have to take care of myself!

I ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I had zero regrets!

That’s enough talking for now. Let’s get started! 

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE MARITOZZI:   

Flour: Brioche is an enriched dough with more fat and sugar than any other dough. For this recipe, bread flour is the best choice because it allows us to incorporate all these extra ingredients and still obtain a good gluten structure and an open crumb.

Milk: Whole milk slightly warmed up.

Yeast: Instant yeast can be incorporated directly into the dough without proof before. To be sure how to properly integrate your yeast into the dough, check the package instructions.

Eggs: Large room-temperature eggs.

Olive oil:  Usually, brioche is made with butter, but this Italian version has olive oil in it, and it is still delicious.

Sugar: Granulated white sugar for the dough and icing sugar for whipped cream.

Flavors: Fresh orange, lemon zest and vanilla extract.

Salt: A pinch of kosher salt adds a little contrast to the recipe.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1:

Add 500g of bread flour, 55g of granulated sugar, 6g of instant dry yeast, 1 tbsp of honey, three whole eggs, and 175g of warm milk, 100g room temperature water in a bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook attachment.

STEP 2 

Turn on the mixer at low speed to avoid spilling the flour and mix until well combined.

After that, we can add the rest of the ingredients.

Grate 1 orange zest and lemon zest. Add it to the bowl and 1 tbsp of vanilla extract and 10g of kosher salt. Mix the dough at medium speed until it forms a tight ball and separates from the bowl edges.

STEP 3

 At this point, we can add olive oil. In the past, in Italy, it was almost impossible to find butter, but they were plenty of olives; that’s where the use of olive oil comes from. That’s the main difference between the french and Italian brioche. 

Add the olive little by little, only adding more after completely incorporating the previous one.

This step is fundamental to keep the strength of the dough and avoid collapsing while baking it.

Keep mixing until the bottom and sides of the mixer are completely clean, and the dough is a nice and smooth ball.

STEP 4

Turn off the mixer, sprinkle some flour on the work surface, and place the dough on it. The dough is still slightly sticky, so we’ll fold it a few times until it is perfectly smooth.

STEP 5

Move the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and let rest the dough at room temperature for 1 hour to start the fermentation process, then place in the fridge overnight.

STEP 6

The next day, grab the dough from the fridge, which should be doubled its size, and deflate it by pressing it with your hands. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide the dough into 20 equal pieces of 50g each.

STEP 7

 Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten out the piece of dough, then tuck it up into a ball, then turn the ball seam side down and roll it into a tight ball by cupping your hand to create a ‘claw’ shape, using the tension from the counter to roll the dough tightly.

Repeat the process until you roll all the pieces of dough and place them in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cover them with a kitchen towel.

Let them proof in a warm place for a couple of hours or until jiggly and doubled in size.

STEP 8

Prepare an egg wash with one egg yolk mixed with one tablespoon of water and brush each bun with it, being gentle to avoid deflating the bun.

Bake the buns at 370°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are nice and golden on the top. After baking and when still hot, brush them with simple syrup to give them a glossy look.

After that, transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool for 20 minutes.

HOW TO SERVE MARITOZZI:

Ok, now I’m going to show the traditional way to serve these sweet buns.

Using a serrated knife, cut them through the middle but stop one inch before you get to the bottom.

Whip 400g of heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla, fill a pastry bag and start stuffing the buns generously.

Using a spatula, make the filling even and smooth, and scrape off any cream from the sides.

Add a little icing sugar on top at the last touch, and buon appetito! 

FAQ:  

Can I skip the overnight rest in the fridge?  

You can let the dough proof on the counter.

Can I make a maritozzi recipe without a stand mixer?   

I’m not saying making without a stand mixer is impossible, but getting the right consistency will take a while.

Can I use butter instead of olive oil for the dough?  

You can totally swap the olive oil for unsalted butter using the same amount.

What other types of filling do you recommend for this maritozzi recipe? 

There is only one filling for the maritozzi, at least in Italy, and it’s fresh whipped cream. But if you want to play around, a chocolate ganache or a pastry cream could work quite well.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: 

You can store the maritozzi buns filled with cream for a couple of days in the refrigerator.  

You can also freeze the baked buns without the filling, wrapped in plastic for up to a month. The night before you need them, let them thaw on the counter, then proceed to fill them.

OTHER DESSERTS YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Cranberry & almond biscotti

Limoncello poppy seeds cake