Chocolate Maritozzi Italian Buns (Printer-friendly)
Soft cocoa Italian sweet buns filled with rich chocolate whipped cream for a decadent treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
05 - 1 pinch salt
06 - ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm
07 - 3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
08 - 1 large egg
09 - Zest of 1 orange (optional)
→ Chocolate Filling
10 - ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
11 - 2⅞ oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), finely chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
→ Decoration
13 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, yeast, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - Add the lukewarm milk, softened butter, egg, and orange zest to the dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until a sticky, cohesive dough forms.
03 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, supple, and springs back when gently pressed.
04 - Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rest in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in volume.
05 - Gently punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into an oval bun and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each. Cover loosely and let rise for another 30 minutes until puffy.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the buns for 18 to 20 minutes, until just set and slightly firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.
07 - Heat about 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Pour over the chopped dark chocolate and stir until a smooth ganache forms. Let cool to room temperature. Whip the remaining heavy cream with the powdered sugar to stiff peaks, then gently fold in the cooled chocolate ganache until uniformly combined.
08 - Using a sharp serrated knife, slice each cooled bun lengthwise, leaving one side intact as a hinge. Generously pipe or spoon the chocolate whipped cream into the opening.
09 - Dust the filled maritozzi generously with powdered sugar and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The cocoa kneaded directly into the dough makes these buns taste like a grownup hot chocolate crossed with a dinner roll, and nothing else in home baking quite compares.
- Filling them feels like tucking a secret into each bun, and watching people bite into that cream center never gets old.
02 -
- Do not rush the cooling step because even slightly warm buns will cause the chocolate cream to collapse and weep, and I learned this the hard way after impatiently slicing into one straight from the oven.
- The second rise is shorter but just as important as the first, because skipping it leaves you with dense buns that feel more like rolls than the pillowy treats you are after.
03 -
- Use a piping bag with a large open star tip to fill the buns because it gives you control over the amount and creates a beautiful ridged effect that makes each one look like it came from a Roman bakery window.
- Dust the powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve right before serving because if you do it too early the moisture from the cream will dissolve it into an invisible layer.