Maritozzi Con Menta

Like most Italian food recipes, Maritozzi come in many different shapes and with various cream fillings, depending on the local customs. They all have in common to be buns with a lot of butter and sugar. But I prefer to make them with rasped chocolate instead of raisins and mint instead of grated lemon peel.

• 700 grams flour type 550 (all purpose flour)
• 210 grams butter
• 150 grams sugar
• 100 ml milk
• 20 grams bakers yeast
• 14 grams salt
• 125 grams sugar for the coating (or sugar substitute)
• some mint leaves

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperatur and you got your mise en place.

Add 30 grams of sugar to 100ml milk in a bowl and crumble the bakers yeast into it.

Stir until the yeast has dissolved and let it rest for 10 minutes at a warm place.

It will eventually tripple in volume.

Take 670 grams of the flour and beat the 5 eggs into it.

Add freshly cut mint leaves.

I also add my Lievito Madre, but this step is optional.

Then add the yeast with the milk.

Knead the dough until it is firm and add the remaining 30 grams of flour if necessary.

Weigh 210 grams of the butter and divide it into 3 eqaul parts. Do the same with 150 grams of sugar and also weigh out 14 grams of salt.

Take one of the 3 predivided parts of butter and sugar and knead into the dough with the salt.

When the butter is kneaded entirely into the dough take the 2nd predivided part of butter and sugar.

Knead until no pieces of butter come to the surface.

And add the last predivided part of butter and sugar.

Until the dough is firm again.

Take the grated chcocolate and knead into the dough.

Allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes.

Divide the dough into 20 balls of equal size and let them rest for 30 minutes.

Knead them into rolls with flour on your hands and place them on a baking tray with parchment paper.

Let the rolls rest for another 2 hours.

Preheat your stove to 180°C (360°F).

Put the 125 grams sugar for the coating into a cooking pot with 20ml of water. Simmer and stir until you have syrup.

Bake the rolls for 10 minutes, apply the sugar coating with a brush and bake for another 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!