Name: Nuvole di Napoli (Neapolitan Sweet Snowflakes)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 30 servings
Ingredients: 125 g of All Purpose Flour; 125 g of Manitoba Flour; 150 g of Whole Milk; 1 Eggs; 20 g of Butter; 40 g of White Sugar; 5 g of Dried Yeast; Mezza of Lemon; a pinch of Table Salt; 200 ml of Whole Milk; 50 g of White Sugar; 20 g of Corn Starch; 10 g of Honey; Mezza of Vanilla Pods; 150 g of Ricotta Cheese; 150 g of Fresh Cream; 25 g of Powdered Sugar; Mezza of Lemon; 1 Egg Yolks; to taste of Whole Milk; to taste of Powdered Sugar

Have you ever heard about “Nuvole di Napoli”? They literally translates to “Naples Clouds” but are also known as Snowflakes due to their appearance. You can’t go in Napoli without trying them, especially at the Neapolitan pastry shop “Poppella”, who invented them.

At first glance they may look like simple filled bomboloni, but they are actually so much more! The name Nuvola (or Snowflake) comes from the lightness of the dough and lightness of the filling, which is composed of Milk, Ricotta Cheese and Cream. Truly mouthwatering!

These Naples Clouds have become so famous that other bakeries and pastry shops have begun to reproduce them, but if you can’t immediately go to Naples to try them, the best way to enjoy them is to make them at home with your own hands.

You have probably never tasted anything these Sweet Snowflakes, but you should fix that asap because they are really super delicious! So let’s find out right now how to cook these delicious Clouds of Naples!

Instructions

To prepare Naples Clouds dissolve the dry yeast in milk (at room temperature) provided for the dough and stir. Let it sit for 10 minutes then place it in the bowl of the planetary mixer along with the two flours, lemon zest and sugar. Knead everything at medium speed just enough to mix, then add the butter, in two times and let it be well absorbed. Add, lastly, the salt and incordate.

Roll the dough onto a floured pastry board then place it back into the bowl, cover with food-grade plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size (about 2 to 3 hours). Then divide the dough into portions weighing about 30 g each and roll it out on the pastry board so that it has a spherical shape. Place the resulting balls on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, spacing them well apart. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

In the meantime, prepare the creamed milk: in a small saucepan mix the milk, sugar and vanilla seeds. Heat until the sugar has dissolved, add the honey and dilute the well-sifted cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Cook until the cream has thickened, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until chilled.

For the ricotta cream: in a bowl, mix the sifted ricotta with the sugar. Add the whipped cream with electric whips, being careful not to disassemble it, and the grated lemon zest.

Add the well-chilled milk cream as well and stir gently so as not to disassemble until combined. Transfer the resulting mixture to a sac à poche with a smooth nozzle and keep in the refrigerator.

Brush the leavened snowflakes with egg yolk beaten with milk and bake them in a hot oven at 356°F (180°C) for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill them warm with the cream by piercing the buns at the base. You will need to fill them generously.

Once they are all stuffed dust your Naples Clouds with powdered sugar and serve.