Italian Maritozzi Cream Buns

How to fake a Roman holiday at home.

Hi Bakers!

I’ve been wanting to make cream buns for a while - soft brioche stuffed with sweetened whipped cream. To me, these are two simple yet perfect elements of any delightful treat. Many cultures have their own version of a cream-stuffed bun, but when I heard of the Italian ones made with olive oil and citrus zest, it was time to try my own. 

Not unlike a British iced finger bun, a Chinese coconut cream bun, a French choux au craquelin, or even a cream-filled donut, there is something so satisfying about eating Maritozzi - lapping up the cream filling that squishes out from each bite of a fluffy bun. Maritozzi con la panna -  with cream, are from the Lazio region of Italy. You can find them across Rome to be enjoyed with a morning cappuccino or as an afternoon bite. 

If you couldn’t guess, I’m one of those people that craves a little something sweet with each meal. When I’m not pushing my cake for breakfast agenda, enriched sweet breads are a close second. While recipe testing, I had a chance to sample these with my morning coffee, after lunch, and even chilled for dessert. They all proved to be delicious options. 

Now I understand that there are few occasions aside from the holidays where you need to serve a dozen cream-filled buns at once, but hear me out:

1. The buns are soft, fluffy, and not too sweet. My children, who have decided that they hate cream, ate them plain for breakfast and split with a dab of butter and honey at dinner.

2. The buns freeze easily and retain their fluffy interiors after thawing.

3. Who doesn’t want to pretend they are on a Roman holiday this summer?

4. A platter of freshly baked buns with slices of seasonal fruit and hand-whipped cream is just about the most thoughtful gift you can give someone.

Speaking of gifts, these buns get their names from the word “marito” meaning “husband.” It is said that the buns were often gifted to future brides, sometimes containing an engagement ring inside. 

I’ll take mine sans jewelry, but really the filling options are endless. The buns themselves aren’t overly sweet, so they pair nicely with a variety of cream fillings as well as savory sandwich stuffers - like pesto and mozzarella or even used as a hamburger bun.

For these, I filled them with mascarpone and vanilla bean whipped cream plus fresh peaches, apricot and raspberries. Any soft fruit or jam will do. Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the cream. Lastly, pop a sliver of fruit on the outside to denote the flavor hidden within.