Veneziane alla crema

The Veneziane alla crema are a delicious leavened dessert typical of Italian pastry, especially in Northern Italy. Here’s how to make them.

Ingredients

• For the dough:

  • 500 g of manitoba flour
  • 150 g of sugar
  • 200 ml of warm whole milk
  • 100 g of soft butter
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 15 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 pinch of salt

• For the custard:

  • 500 ml of milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 150 g of sugar
  • 50 g of flour
  • Zest of 1 lemon or vanilla to flavor

• For decoration:

  • Powdered sugar
  • Nib sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the dough: dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar taken from the total amount.
2. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the flour with the remaining sugar and the grated lemon zest.
3. Add the eggs, the yolk, and the milk with the dissolved yeast. Knead vigorously, then add the soft butter in pieces and a pinch of salt.
4. Work the dough until it is smooth and even, then let it rise in a warm place covered with a clean kitchen towel for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the custard: bring the milk to a boil with the lemon zest or vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is frothy; add the sifted flour a little at a time.
6. Once the milk is hot, remove the lemon zest and slowly pour in the mixture of eggs, sugar, and flour, stirring constantly.
7. Put the cream back on the heat and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly with a whisk. Then, remove from the heat and let it cool, covering it with plastic wrap in contact.
8. Take the risen dough and form balls of the desired size, placing them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them.
9. Allow to rise again for 30-40 minutes, then with your fingertips create cavities in the center of each ball where you will later place the custard cream.
10. Fill the cavities with the custard cream and finally sprinkle the surface of the Veneziane with nib sugar.
11. Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 15-20 minutes or until the Veneziane are golden brown.
12. Once baked, let them cool and then dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

Fun Fact

The Veneziane alla crema are often associated with the city of Venice, but in reality, they can be found in many pastry shops in Northern Italy with different local variations. The Veneziane can also be filled with jam or chocolate as well as custard cream.