Maritozzi (Italian cream buns)
In Rome they often start the day with a maritozzo – a light brioche bun, perfumed with orange zest and filled with fluffy vanilla cream. Learn how to perfect this classic with baker Roberto Nitti. “Rome’s most iconic pastry, maritozzi are brioche buns filled with whipped cream. What sets them apart is how Roman pastry chefs elevate the dough,” says Roberto. “They mix flour, eggs and sugar, and add olive oil instead of butter, then infuse it with honey, vanilla and citrus zest. This makes maritozzi special and recognisable worldwide. While the process is lengthy, with several steps over two days and three leavening stages, the recipe itself isn’t actually that difficult.” Going back hundreds of years, a maritozzo was originally a large loaf – fortified with eggs, olive oil and honey – eaten by labourers to keep them working through the day. In the Middle Ages, the loaves got sweeter and smaller and became a Lenten treat, as they weren’t made with butter. During the 18th century, the buns were also linked to courting couples – the name is derived from marito, which is Italian for husband. A man would give a maritozzo to his prospective wife – perhaps with a ring tucked inside… Nowadays maritozzi are traditionally eaten for breakfast, but we think the aromatic citrus flavours and cream make them a perfect bake for any time. Roberto embarked on his culinary journey at the CAST Alimenti cookery school in Brescia and completed a degree in pastry aged 18. Following his studies, he honed his skills in bakeries across Italy. At 25, he moved to Milan, where he worked at the Mandarin Oriental hotel before joining Panificio Davide Longoni. There, he mastered the art of the traditional Italian Christmas bread, panettone. Roberto then relocated to London and started working at Pophams, a small, well regarded group of bakeries, in 2023. Mastered classic maritozzi? Try our raspberry versions next, or discover more sweet Italian baking recipes.
