How To Make The Italian Sfogliata In The Easiest Way With The Kitchen Ingredients
If you have ever visited the region of Campania, you must have heard about this curious-looking puff pastry called Sfogliata.
Sfogliata‘s shape resembles a shell or a lobster tail. It can hold various kinds of whipped cream or a special custard mixture with candied peels. The other type contains almond paste as the filling instead of the creamy custard.
If you too are looking for the authentic Sfogliata recipe, you have successfully landed at the best place possible. This blog is all about informing you about how to make Sfogliata along with every detail about this pastry you will ever need. Therefore, in order to discover more, go ahead and give this article a read.
Table of Contents
The History Of The Modern-Day Sfogliata
The sfogliatelle Santa Rosa was initially made in the monastery of Santa Rosa which is located in Conca Dei Marini in the province of Salerno, Italy, during the 17th century. It was named after the convent of Santa Rosa where the nuns behind the creation of these pastries lived.
Later, the pastry made its way to Naples in the 19th century. A pastry chef from Naples named Pasquale Pintauro acquired the original recipe and started selling these pastries in his shop in 1818. He changed its shape into the triangular lobster tail that it is now. This sweet pastry is still pretty popular in Italy today.
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Italian Sfogliata : The Origin Story
The sfogliatella frolla recipe is traditionally associated with Naples but it is believed that the original Sfogliata was invented around 1700 on the Italian Amalfi coast. It was a creation of nuns from the Santa Rosa monastery which is why this dish is also popularly associated with the term sfogliatella Santa rosa.
The story of Sfogliata goes like that a nun in a convent combined some leftover semolina along with lemon liquor, dried fruits, and sugar. After that, she took some dough and kneaded them into two sheets, and used the semolina mixture as a filling. This sweet pastry, originally named Santarosa is an Italian sweet treat popular with various Italian pastry names in today’s date.
The Cultural Side Of The Authentic Italian Sfogliata Cuisine
Consistent with most of the famous Italian cuisines, the sfogliatelle pastry recipe has at least two variations in Campania are sfogliatella frolla and sfogliatella riccia. The fillings vary from cheese to almond paste and even a creamy custard with candied peels.
Sfogliatelle Riccia is filled with a mixture of semolina, sugar, ricotta, candied citrus peels, eggs, and a hint of cinnamon. These ricotta desserts Italian have a very crunchy crust and the filling holds the perfect amount of sweetness.
Sfogliatella frolla is a much simpler version that uses a simpler dough called shortcrust. It is often used for tarts and pies. It is filled with a whipped cream mixture which is some kind of choux pastry. The filling is injected into the center of the pastry shells. That puffs up the core and lends the pastry its desired shape.
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What Is Sfogliata Or Sfogliatelle?
Sfogliata is one of the best tasting Italian pastries which is pretty popular amongst the Italian cuisine as well. But with the various modifications and modern takes on this particular item, the recipe for sfogliatelle comes with several spins from various regions. These Italian pastries are a genuine combination of passion and skill.
This Italian pastry is made with a dough similar to the sfogliatelle made with phyllo dough. It comes with a stuffing of a creamy and sweet filling.
Pro-Tips And Tricks Of Making Sfogliata
- For better results, try using measuring scales and cups for measuring the ingredients while making the sfogliata.
- Knead the dough with lukewarm water to get a smooth and elastic dough.
- Pour the luke warm water in small doses frequently to absorb the flour fully.
- Use butter using a brush while folding it so that it will not stick.
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Mostly Asked Questions About Sfogliata or Sfogliatelle
1. Do we need to refrigerate the sfogliatelle?
Sfogliatelle is best served while it’s warm. If you want to make more of them ahead, make sure to let them cool completely and then refrigerate or freeze them. For getting the best out of your sfogliatelle frozen, try to wrap it tightly in plastic.
2. Are sfogliatelle and lobster tail different?
The lobster tail is the American version of the sfogliatella riccia. It is made slightly larger and is filled with choux pastry before baking.
3. How to heat your frozen sfogliatelle?
For making the best tasting Sfogliata after taking them out of the refrigerator, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, place your frozen sfogliatelle at least keeping a distance of 2 inches on the baking sheet and keep them in the oven.
After a duration of 15 minutes, rotate the baking tray 180 degrees and continue baking until golden brown. The process might take another 15 minutes, but the time duration solely depends on your oven. You just need to make sure that you bake them until they are golden brown.
Last But Not Least
If you are a big fan of sfoglia cake, you will definitely love this homemade sfogliatelle. This recipe has come along a long way and now comes with various spins. Therefore, if you already fancy the idea of making homemade crescia bread, what is stopping you from trying sfogliatella? Give the recipe a read and make your own Sfogliata, today!
Italian Sfogliata Recipe
Equipment
- Electric Beater
- Oven
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Now that you know the history and every other detail about sfogliata, take a look at the list below to know about the ingredients necessary to make the sfogliatelle ricce recipe. Since the recipe is first made in parts and then assembled,the ingredients have been mentioned likewise.
Sfogliata dough:
- 1 kg Bread Flour
- 390 mL Water
- 20 g Salt
- 60 g Golden Syrup
- 2 tsp Vanilla Essence
Cheese Cream Filling:
- 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 2 tsp Cardamom Powder
- 400 g CheeseCream
- 2 Pieces Bay Leaf
- 100 g Butter
- 260 g Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Once you are aware of the ingredients of Sfogliata, you can easily start making your own sfogliatelle Melbourne.
- Firstly, take a bowl and mix water, golden syrup, and salt in it.
NOTE: You should stir the mixture well until the salt is dissolved fully.
- Then warm up the liquid.
- Take bread flour in an electric beater and mix the lukewarm water into it.
- Blend them until lumps appear. Note that it will not form dough in the beater.
- Therefore, you have to make the dough by hand.
- After that, take the mixture out from the beater and take the dough to a clean place. Bring the sawyer dough perfectly together by absorbing all the little lumps of flour.
- Add some hot water into the mixture if it seems to be dry.
- Make the dough dense. Its texture should bepliable, elastic, and smooth.
- After that, let it rest in the fridge overnight either by covering it or transferring it in a zip lock bag.
For Cheesecream Filling:
- An important part of this recipe is the cheesecream filling in it.
- For making the filling, take the following ingredients- cream cheese, butter, cinnamon powder, bay leaf, powdered sugar and mix all of them well in an electric beater.
- Remove the bay leaves from the mixture later. After the mixture is formed, keep it in the refrigerator.
Sfogliata Making:
- For making the Sfogliata, stretch the dough with the help of a bread roller pin in a very fine manner.
- Then start rolling the supremely fine stretched batter carefully.
- Keep spreading butter evenly on the stretched dough and continue rolling it until the dough ends.
- After the rolling is finished, grease the butter on the entire roll properly. Wrap the dough up and rest it in the fridge overnight.
- After freezing it, take the mixture out and cut off the two ends of the roll. Make sure to cut the roll at a 1.5 cm distance.
- After that, grease butter in each cut-out section evenly.
- Now, take each cut-out section, create a dent in the middle with thumbs. Start making it deeper and keep one finger inside, and the other hand pulled to create and separate the layers.
- End up with a cone shape. This part is very crucial and it governs the shape of your Sfogliata, so make sure you do it right. Continue the same process with another cut-out piece.
- Now fill with 4 tbsp the cheese cream filling at each sfogliata. Close the open area firmly after filling, so that it does not ooze out.
- Place them in a tray keeping a distance in between each piece.
- Bake the Sfogliatas at 200° celsius for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Once done, take the baking tray out carefully and later serve your delicious dessert by spreading some powdered sugar or maple syrup.
NOTES
- For better results, try using measuring scales and cups for measuring the ingredients while making the sfogliata.
- Knead the dough with lukewarm water to get a smooth and elastic dough.
- Pour the lukewarm water in small doses frequently to absorb the flour fully.
- Use butter using a brush while folding it so that it will not stick.
I love Italian sfogliata. Definitely will try this recipe.
Thank you Christina.
I tried yesterday at my home. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe.
Thanks Sumaira.
Easy to make recipe. Thanks.
Thanks Peter.
This is a the most detailed sfogliata pastry. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe.
Thanks Alcenius