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Lievito Madre Cruffins Recipe – An Italian in my Kitchen


With flaky layers, candy cinnamon and the wealthy taste of Italian sourdough, these lievito madre cruffins are bakery-style perfection made at residence.

Cruffins on a wire rack.

 

With gentle, flaky layers, a cruffin is a cross between a croissant and a muffin, however baked in a muffin tin for a reasonably, bakery-style form. This model, a lievito madre cruffin, makes use of Italian sourdough for a delicate tang, wealthy aroma, and gentle, tender crumb. 

It’s an effective way to make use of your starter for one thing a little bit completely different than my rustic Italian bread with lievito madre and makes a scrumptious cruffin with sourdough starter that may be a flippantly candy, cinnamon-swirled pastry excellent for breakfast, brunch, or a day deal with.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Surprisingly easy: Identical to lievito madre pizza dough, the cruffin dough comes collectively simply in a stand mixer, with more often than not spent on hands-off rising.
  • Well worth the wait: Lengthy fermentation from the lievito madre sourdough starter develops higher taste and texture you’ll be able to’t get from cruffins made with puff pastry.

Ingredient Notes

  • Lievito madre starter: Lively Italian sourdough starter that provides a gentle tang, wealthy aroma, and tender crumb. Be sure that it’s lately fed and bubbly earlier than utilizing.
  • Flour: I used 142 grams of Italian 0 and 100 grams of Italian 00 flour, however you need to use all-purpose flour should you favor.
  • Lukewarm water: Helps the starter mix simply into the dough and encourages fermentation.
  • Entire milk: Provides richness and softness to the crumb.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and balances the tang from the starter.
  • Honey: Provides a contact of taste and helps feed the starter for a very good rise.
  • Salt: Enhances taste and controls fermentation, serving to guarantee balanced dough improvement.
  • Butter: Used within the dough for softness and once more within the filling to create flaky, buttery layers.
  • Brown sugar and cinnamon: The traditional filling for a heat, candy taste in each chunk.
Cruffins on a wire rack.Cruffins on a wire rack.

Refreshing Your Lievito Madre

For the very best rise and taste on this lievito madre cruffins recipe, be certain your starter is energetic earlier than baking.

Take away it from the fridge, let it come to room temperature, and discard about 100 grams. Feed with 100 grams flour, 45–50 grams lukewarm water, and ¼ teaspoon honey (elective). Knead right into a compact dough, mark with a cross, and let it rise till doubled. Use the quantity wanted for the recipe and return the remaining to the fridge.

Methods to Make Lievito Madre Cruffins

Begin by mixing your energetic lievito madre with the milk and lukewarm water proper within the bowl of your stand mixer. As soon as that’s blended, add the flour, sugar, and honey, then knead briefly to carry it collectively. 

Making the dough in the mixing bowl.Making the dough in the mixing bowl.

Sprinkle within the salt and preserve kneading till it begins to easy out. The butter goes in final, add it in items and knead till the dough is gentle, elastic, and pulling away from the bowl.

The dough in the mixing bowl.The dough in the mixing bowl.

Transfer the dough to a flippantly buttered bowl, cowl, and let it rise someplace heat till it’s doubled. As a result of we’re utilizing lievito madre, this may take anyplace from 8 to 12 hours, so it’s an incredible step to do in a single day.

The dough risen in the bowl.The dough risen in the bowl.

As soon as risen, roll the dough into a skinny rectangle and unfold with the softened butter. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar combination.

The dough rolled out and sugar on top.The dough rolled out and sugar on top.

Roll it up tightly from the lengthy facet. Reduce the log into three items, wrap them in plastic, and pop them within the fridge for half an hour, this makes them simpler to chop and form.

The dough rolled and cut into three pieces.The dough rolled and cut into three pieces.

Once you’re prepared, slice each bit lengthwise so you’ve two strips. Roll every strip right into a coil with the reduce facet going through out.

Cutting the rolls and rolling.Cutting the rolls and rolling.

Place them in a greased muffin tin. Cowl and allow them to rise once more till puffy and doubled, about 4 hours or extra.

The cruffins before and after rising.The cruffins before and after rising.

Bake till golden and cooked by, then transfer them to a wire rack. Mud lievito madre cruffins with powdered sugar whereas nonetheless heat should you like, and benefit from the flaky layers whereas they’re contemporary.

The cruffins baked in the pan.The cruffins baked in the pan.

suggestions for achievement

  • Verify your starter first: Lievito madre needs to be lately fed, doubled in measurement, and bubbly earlier than you begin mixing the dough.
  • Watch the dough texture: Since lievito madre is stiffer than most starters, it’s possible you’ll want so as to add a small splash of water if the dough feels too dry.
  • Pan measurement issues: I used a 6-cup muffin pan for bigger, bakery-style lievito madre cruffins. It’s also possible to use a 12-cup muffin pan for smaller ones or perhaps a popover pan for extra-tall layers.
  • Don’t rush the rises: The lengthy fermentation time is what develops a gentle, ethereal crumb and deep taste you’ll be able to’t get from puff pastry variations.

Cruffins Fillings & Variations

  • Methods to fill: As soon as baked and barely cooled, make a small gap within the high or facet of the lievito madre cruffin with a knife or piping tip. Pipe in your favourite filling.
  • Creamy filling choices: Strive Italian pastry cream, mascarpone cream, espresso pastry cream, or chocolate pastry cream.
  • Fast & indulgent: Nutella, chocolate ganache, fruit jam, or lemon curd make straightforward and scrumptious options.
A cruffin on a white plate.A cruffin on a white plate.
  • 90 grams lievito madre (energetic)
  • 62 grams lukewarm water
  • 75 grams complete milk
  • 242 grams all function flour*
  • 40 grams granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon honey
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 30 grams butter softened

*I used 142 grams of Italian 0 and 100 grams Italian 00 or you need to use all function.

EXTRAS

  • 200 grams brown sugar
  • teaspoons cinnamon
  • 75 grams butter softened
  • Within the stand mixer add the lievito madre, milk, water and blend collectively for two minutes. Add the flour(s), sugar and honey and knead for 1 minute, add the salt and proceed to knead for 4 minutes. Add the softened butter in items and knead for five minutes, till the dough pulls away from the perimeters of the bowl. Switch the dough to a flippantly buttered bowl, cowl and let rise in a heat draft free space for 8-12 hours or till doubled.

  • In a small bowl whisk collectively the brown sugar and cinnamon.

  • Transfer the dough to a flippantly floured flat floor and roll into a skinny triangle 50x30cm, unfold it with butter and sprinkle the brown sugar combination on high. Roll the rectangle up tightly size sensible, reduce into 3 items, wrap every in plastic wrap and chill for Half-hour.

  • Take away the dough from the fridge and reduce each bit down the centre (see pictures). Every strip roll up, reduce facet up and place in a greased 6 giant measurement muffin tin. Cowl and let rise in a heat draft free space for 4 hours or extra or till doubled.

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C.

  • Brush with milk and bake for 20-Half-hour or till baked by. Instantly transfer to a wire rack to chill. Mud with powdered sugar earlier than serving. Take pleasure in!

Methods to retailer the cruffins

Cruffins are finest loved the day they’re baked, however you’ll be able to retailer them in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 2 days. Heat briefly in a low oven to refresh the feel.

Methods to freeze the cruffins

Allow them to cool utterly, then wrap nicely and freeze for as much as 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and heat within the oven earlier than serving.

Energy: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 5g | Fats: 15g | Saturated Fats: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 4g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 459IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 62mg

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FAQs

Methods to retailer cruffins?

Cruffins are finest loved the day they’re baked, however you’ll be able to retailer them in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 2 days. Heat briefly in a low oven to refresh the feel.

Can I freeze the dough?

Sure. After the primary rise and shaping, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for as much as 1 month. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then let rise till doubled earlier than baking. For sourdough enriched cruffins like these, freezing after shaping works higher than earlier than as iit preserves the butter layers and construction.

Can I freeze baked cruffins?

Completely. Allow them to cool utterly, then wrap nicely and freeze for as much as 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and heat within the oven earlier than serving.

Can I make them forward?

Sure. You may put together the dough by the primary rise, form it, and refrigerate in a single day. Convey to room temperature and permit it to complete rising earlier than baking.

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