The VENETIAN CREAM BUNS are one of the softest and most fragrant comforts from the Milanese pastry tradition. Small golden brioches, light as clouds and enriched with a heart of velvety pastry cream that releases an irresistible aroma of vanilla and citrus. Each bite tells of the care of breakfasts of yesteryear, those prepared with simple and genuine ingredients, where time seems to slow down at the scent of butter and the crunch of pearl sugar.
These brioches are a perfect meeting of softness and indulgence: the long-fermented dough gives an airy texture that literally melts in the mouth, while the pastry cream adds a warm, creamy note that wins you over at the first taste. Perfect to start the day with a touch of sweetness, for an elegant afternoon snack or for a Sunday brunch, the Venetian Cream Buns bring the charm of true Italian pastry to the table.
A simple dessert rich in tradition, ideal for lovers of soft, fragrant leavened goods who want to rediscover at home the authentic flavor of freshly baked brioches.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 13Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Manitoba flour
- 1 7/8 cups 00 flour (or all-purpose)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/3 cups milk (warm)
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh baker's yeast (about 12 g; or substitute with 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- lemon zest
- 7 tbsp butter (soft)
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp cups milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cup granulated sugar
- tsp vanilla extract
- 5 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- pearl (coarse) sugar
- powdered sugar
For the Venetian cream buns you will need
- 1 Stand mixer
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Baking sheet
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- 1 Piping bag
Preparation — Venetian cream buns
Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk.
In a stand mixer (or a large bowl) combine the sifted flours, the sugar, the milk with the yeast, the whole eggs, the yolk, the lemon zest and the vanilla.Knead everything with the spiral hook for 10 minutes or until the dough is homogeneous and elastic (it should come together and become smooth).
Add the soft butter little by little, letting it be fully absorbed. Finally add the salt and continue kneading until you obtain a smooth, elastic and soft dough.
Transfer it to a very large bowl (the dough will rise considerably), cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size in a turned-off oven with the light on.
Heat the milk with the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.
Meanwhile, in a bowl quickly work the yolks with the sugar.Add the cornstarch and mix thoroughly. Pour in some of the hot milk and whisk to temper the mixture. Then add the rest of the milk.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until it thickens. Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap directly on its surface and let it cool.
Take the dough again and divide it into balls of about 3 oz (approximately 80 g) each. Make a few folds, shape them into smooth balls and place them spaced apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rise for another 1 hour.
Work the pastry cream to make it smooth again and transfer it into a piping bag.
Place a little cream in the center of each bun or pipe it in a spiral. Sprinkle with pearl sugar and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.Remove from the oven, let them cool slightly and transfer them to a wire rack until completely cooled. Fill them with the remaining cream by making a small hole in the bottom of each bun and dust them with powdered sugar.
Storage
At room temperature → 1 day
Venetian buns filled with pastry cream should not be kept at room temperature for more than 24 hours, because the cream is perishable.
If you eat them the same day:
store them in an airtight container or under a cake dome,
away from heat sources and humidity.
In the refrigerator → 2–3 days
This is the safest option.
Place the Venetian buns in an airtight container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
Store them in the fridge: they will stay fresh for 48–72 hours.
Note: in the fridge the brioche may become slightly firmer; you can heat it for 10–12 seconds in the microwave before eating.
Freezing → yes, but without cream
Venetian buns can be frozen only without filling.
Proceed as follows:
Freeze the brioches as soon as they are out of the oven and completely cold.
Wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
Keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Thaw them at room temperature and fill them with fresh cream only at the moment of serving.
Pastry cream does not freeze well: it tends to separate and become grainy.
