Today I am happy to share with you this recipe that is highly searched on the web and absolutely my favorite dessert, THE MONACHE’S BREASTS OF ALTAMURA. I start, first of all, with the premise that this was my 5th attempt, oh yes my friends, it may seem simple but it is not at all. I have tried many different recipes including the original one from the nuns, but nothing, in the oven they swell a lot, and once out they deflate. Some use flour instead of the African mix and I already tell you it’s absolutely not good, I recommend the African mix and not the one you find at the supermarket but the one sold in bulk at pastry supply stores. I tried the version without a planetary mixer but I assure you that it makes no difference at all. Finally, however, this 5th version satisfied me, very similar to those you buy at the pastry shop. By the way, if you are in the Altamura area, I recommend buying them at the famous pastry shop, now known for the monache’s breasts, the Monastero di Santa Chiara pastry shop. What I recommend to ensure this infinite delicacy turns out best is to work the mixture for at least 15 mins in the planetary mixer without stopping it and insert it quickly into the piping bag, so another important tip is to prepare a baking tray covered with parchment paper or if you prefer baking cups, in order to shape our breasts and insert them quickly into a strictly static oven at 338°F. Another tip is to put a ladle between the oven and the door to let the moisture out, and once baking is done, leave the breasts in the oven to dry, if at the end of baking they are moist and you take them out, I assure you they will deflate instantly. If you follow these rules I assure you they will be really super
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 15
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 252.17 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.80 (g) of which sugars 18.19 (g)
- Proteins 7.20 (g)
- Fat 11.18 (g) of which saturated 3.08 (g)of which unsaturated 3.02 (g)
- Fibers 2.18 (g)
- Sodium 26.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup fresh whipping cream
- 6 egg yolks egg yolks (6 egg yolks)
- 7/8 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (maizena)
- 2 1/2 cups flour (African mix)
- 5 eggs eggs (5 eggs)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- Parchment paper
Steps
Let’s start by preparing the custard. In a saucepan, heat the milk with 1 teaspoon of natural vanilla flavor.
In another saucepan, work the yolks with sugar using an electric whisk.
Add the cornstarch
Add the boiling milk
Stir with a whisk
Continue stirring without stopping
Until you get the right custard consistency. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent the annoying film from forming.
Put in the fridge and start preparing the dough for the monache’s breasts. In the stand mixer, insert the eggs,
the powdered sugar and the African mix flour.
Work everything with the stand mixer for about 20 mins. The mixture should triple
It will be perfect when it stays attached to the stand mixer whisk.
Put in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle and form circles on the baking tray covered with parchment paper ending with the classic tip
Bake in a preheated static oven at 338°F for 20 mins with a ladle between the oven and the oven door to allow moisture to escape. At the end of cooking, dry for a few minutes in the oven
In the meantime, whip the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the custard with slow movements from bottom to top.
Put in a piping bag and once cooled, fill by making a hole at the base. Fill with cream until it almost overflows.
Dust with powdered sugar
and enjoy our monache’s breasts.
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