Fiocchi di neve

• To prepare the snowflakes, first dissolve the yeast in the milk at room temperature. Then in the bowl of a planetary mixer equipped with a hook add the two flours, the milk in which you dissolved the yeast, sugar and the seeds that you have taken from half a vanilla pod. Work everything at medium speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is smooth. When the dough sticks well to the hook, add the soft butter, one piece at a time.
• Run the machine again. When it is well absorbed, add the salt and continue to work until the dough is well strung, for about 5 minutes.
• Then transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pirlat it with your hands, so as to give it a spherical shape. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and let it rise for about 1 hour and a half, at room temperature (about 25-26 degrees C). After this time the dough will not double in volume but will grow a little. Transfer it to the work surface and take parts from which you will obtain pieces of 30 g. Once you will finish the dough, you will have got 28 pieces.
• Shape each portion of the dough by placing it on the work surface in order to obtain a precise sphere. Gradually transfer the balls to a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spacing them well between them because they will grow a little further. Cover with cling film and let rise for another 1 hour and a half, always at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, prepare the ricotta cream. Pour the liquid cream into a bowl and whip it with the electric whisk until it is firm, then place it in the refrigerator. In another bowl, work the ricotta with a spatula (or a whisk) to soften it, then add the icing sugar and the grated zestes of a lemon and continue to work until it is smooth and homogeneous.
• Now add the ricotta to the whipped cream that you left in the refrigerator and gently incorporate it with the spatula, making movements from the bottom upwards. When the ricotta cream is ready, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.

Milk cream

• Pour the milk into a saucepan with the sugar. Bring it to the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Then add the honey and the seeds that you have taken from the vanilla pod. Then add the cornstarch, stirring with a spatula to blend it and stirring constantly with a whisk, to avoid the formation of lumps, cook the cream for a few minutes until it thickens and veils the spatula. Transfer it to a low and large bowl, cover with cling film and let it cool first at room temperature, then in the refrigerator.
• When the balls have risen to a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk and use it to gently brush the surface of the balls. Bake in a static oven at 180 ° for about 18 minutes, until they are golden brown.
• Take the cold cream again and work it with a whisk to smooth it, then add it to the ricotta cream and mix gently from the bottom upwards so as not to disassemble it. Transfer the mixture into a bag with a smooth nozzle , long and thin. Store in the refrigerator until ready for use.
• As soon as the snowflakes are golden brown, take them out of the oven and let them cool. Then, using a smooth nozzle, gently pierce the base and fill them with the cream, always squeezing gently with the pastry bag. Transfer them gradually onto a tray, then sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

STORAGE

• Snowflakes can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Before serving, sprinkle them with icing sugar.
• The rolls can be frozen empty in a food bag.

ADVICE

• Fill the flakes when they are still slightly warm to facilitate the abundant filling with the ricotta cream.