Step 1

Start by making the lievitino aka poolish. Whisk together the flour, yeast and water in a small bowl into a thickish paste.

Step 2

Cover it with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place such as an unlit oven. After an hour, the lievitino should have turned foamy, at which point it is ready to use.

Step 3

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer). Add the additional yeast, egg, sugar, honey, vanilla and orange zest. Then add the lievitino and mix until it is completely incorporated. Add milk gradually until you have a rather soft dough that clings to the dough hook. (You may need a bit more or less than listed above.) Now add the oil a bit a few drops at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. Fold in the optional ingredients if using.

Step 4

Transfer the dough to a well floured pastry board. Dust with additional flour on top. Stretch the dough out and fold in onto itself, then turn it 90 degrees and fold again. Turning the dough clockwise with a cupping motion with your hands, shape the dough into a ball. The dough should be soft and pliable but not tacky at all.

Step 5

Place the dough ball in a well greased bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place (again an unlit oven is ideal) and let it rise for at least three hours, by which time it should have at least doubled in volume. Even better, if you have the time, let it rise for an hour or two in a warm place, then store in overnight in the fridge. (In this case, make sure that the plastic wrap touches the dough to avoid it forming a skin.)

Step 6

Divide the risen dough into even pieces, anywhere from 50g to 80g (2 to 3 oz) each depending on your preference. Form the dough into balls, repeating the same folding technique you used before, then rolling each piece of dough between your palms in a vigorous circular motion, making sure to smooth out any eventual creases in the dough. If you want to give your maritozzi an oval shape, gently roll these balls back and forth between your palms. Place the balls/ovals on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you form them.

Step 7

Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap then let the now formed but unbaked maritozzi rise for an hour in a warm place. They should have nearly doubled in size. (If your oven has a proofing function, this is a good time to use it.)

Step 8

Remove the plastic wrap from the baking sheet. Whisk the egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl, then brush each maritozzo very generously with the resulting glaze. Try to make sure they are completely covered with the glaze.

Step 9

Place in a pre-heated moderate (180C/350F) oven and bake your maritozzi for 15-20 minutes, depending on size, until puffed up considerably and golden brown all over.

Step 10

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a baking rack.

Step 11

While the maritozzi and cooling, whip the heavy cream together with confectioner's sugar to taste (start with 2 heaping Tbs and add more if you want) until it forms stiff peaks.

Step 12

When the maritozzi have cooled off completely, slit them across, either right down the middle or, for a more traditional look, on a slight angle off center (as pictured). Do not cut all the way through but leave a "hinge"on one side. Open the slit to allow for the filling; just how wide is up to you, but take care not to split the bun in half.

Step 13

Fill the slits with the whipped cream. (This is best done with a pastry bag if you have one.) Smooth out the whipped cream with a blunt knife so it is flush with the outside of the maritozzi.

Step 14

Dust the maritozzi with confectioner's sugar and serve.