Italian Chocolate Maritozzi Buns (Printer-friendly)
Soft cocoa buns filled with rich chocolate whipped cream, a classic Roman pastry indulgence.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - ½ cup whole milk, lukewarm
04 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 packet (¼ oz) active dry yeast
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
08 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
→ Filling
11 - 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
12 - 2½ oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
13 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Egg Wash
15 - 1 egg yolk
16 - 2 tablespoons milk
# How to Make It:
01 - Stir the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar into lukewarm milk in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and bubbly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, remaining sugar, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Create a well in the center of the dry mixture. Add the egg, vanilla extract, softened butter, and activated yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough begins to come together.
04 - Knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate during the final 2 minutes of kneading.
05 - Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in volume.
06 - Gently punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into an oval bun and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
07 - Cover the shaped buns loosely and let proof for 40 minutes until puffed and nearly doubled in size.
08 - Preheat the oven to 355°F. Whisk together the egg yolk and milk, then brush the mixture evenly over each bun for a glossy finish.
09 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the buns are slightly firm to the touch and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
10 - Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract to stiff peaks. Gently fold in the melted and cooled dark chocolate until uniformly combined.
11 - Slice each cooled bun lengthwise, leaving one side attached as a hinge. Generously pipe or spoon the chocolate whipped cream into each bun. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of a soft cocoa bun and rich chocolate cream filling tastes like something you would pay far too much for at a tiny Roman bakery.
- They look wildly impressive but the dough is surprisingly forgiving, even if you are not confident with yeast.
02 -
- Do not rush the cooling step, because even slightly warm buns will turn your beautiful chocolate cream into a melty mess running down your fingers.
- Folding the melted chocolate into whipped cream requires a gentle hand, because aggressive stirring will deflate the cream and leave you with something dense rather than cloudlike.
03 -
- Keep a close eye on the buns during the last few minutes of baking, because cocoa powder makes it hard to judge browning and they can go from perfect to overdone quickly.
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for ten minutes before whipping the cream, because cold equipment makes the cream whip faster and hold its shape longer.