Catanese iris with white cream, a recipe that together with the chocolate-cream iris is part of the great Sicilian cuisine and grandma’s recipes and that, together with Raviole catanesi filled with ricotta and the Palermo fried iris, among others, enrich the Sicilian rosticceria in its sweet expression.
But let’s get back to our Catanese iris with white cream, which differ from the chocolate ones, just as panzerotti with white cream differ from the cocoa ones. The two recipes are in fact identical in the base and in the coating, but different in the filling: the first filled with a simple custard made with only one egg and the others with chocolate cream.
As I mentioned above, there are two different types of iris, one tied to Palermo culinary tradition and one tied to Catania. If the Palermo iris are filled with ricotta and made with brioche dough, the Catanese iris, poorer and more rustic, but just as tasty, are made with milk rolls.
They are anyway humble, economical sweets, born to recover leftover white bread or dried, stale brioches, and if you find yourself in Sicily, especially around Catania, I highly recommend you try them — I’m sure you’ll love them! Now, are you ready to get your hands on the dough? Follow me to the kitchen and let’s discover how to make iris with white cream, but before we start cooking remember that if you want to stay updated on all my other recipes you can follow my Facebook page and my Instagram profile.
Check out these Sicilian sweets:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
- Portions: 14-16 small iris
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 cups type 0 flour
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 3.5 tbsp lard
- 2.5 tbsp sugar
- to taste salt
- 26.5 lb fresh brewer's yeast
- 2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup 00 flour
- 1 packet vanillin (vanilla powder)
- to taste lemon zest
- 1/3 cup milk (to adjust consistency)
- 1 1/4 cups 00 flour
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 2/3 cups breadcrumbs
- as needed vegetable oil (for frying)
Tools
- Large bowl
- Pot
- Scissors
- Oven
- Pot for frying
- Skimmer
- Whisk hand
Preparation
First of all you will need to prepare the milk rolls, but if you prefer you can also buy them ready-made.
If you want to make them yourself, you will find the step-by-step recipe at this link: Sicilian milk rolls,
Prepare all the ingredients, put the flour in the bowl, add the milk and dissolve the yeast in it; mix roughly and then add the remaining ingredients. Knead in the bowl for about ten minutes trying to obtain a formed and fairly smooth dough — with resting the gluten network will improve. Place in the oven with the light on (the oven temperature will reach about 79°F, helping the leavening) for one hour or until doubled.
After the time has passed and the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a work surface, work it a few more minutes and then divide into many rolls of about 60 g each (unless you need larger rolls).
We usually find iris in our bars in two sizes: the large ones, the size of half a hand, made with a roll of about 120 g, and the small ones made with rolls of 60 g. I recommend this size (60 g), which is very balanced with a perfect cream/bread ratio.
Make many dough balls and set to rise until doubled.
When risen, preheat the oven to 356°F (conventional), brush the rolls with milk and bake. After a couple of minutes lower the oven to 320°F; at this temperature, if well risen, they should not crack and will rise nicely.
Bake the rolls until fully golden, it will take about 15-20 minutes.
Dissolve flour, sugar, egg and vanilla in a little milk. When the mixture is homogeneous, add the remaining milk, mix and add the lemon zest.
Let thicken over moderate heat, stirring continuously; when the cream begins to thicken you will notice lumps, but keep stirring and they will disappear. Turn off the heat and let the cream cool in a bowl — as it cools it will become firmer; adjust the consistency by adding milk and stirring often.
We have prepared our rolls. Using sharp scissors, cut the bottom of the roll to make a lid and set it aside.
Scoop out the crumb from the roll.
With the help of a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill the rolls with cream and close with the lids you set aside.
Prepare a batter by gradually adding the water to the flour, stirring continuously with the whisk.
Coat the rolls first in the batter and then in the breadcrumbs, making sure the coating adheres well.
Heat the oil in a deep pan; immerse the tip of a wooden spoon — if it makes many bubbles we are ready to fry the iris.
After immersing them in the oil, turn them to obtain an even golden color, then collect them with a skimmer, place them on absorbent paper and then on a tray.
Our iris are ready — excellent to be enjoyed hot, fragrant and with a delicious crispy crust!
Storage and tips
I recommend preparing the rolls the day before so that when you use them they will be more compact. Iris should be consumed as soon as they are made or at most the same day, so that they remain fragrant, delicious and crispy. You can store leftovers at room temperature and consume them within the next day, but they will not be as good as freshly made ones.
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