Soffioni Abruzzesi (Sweet Ricotta Pastries) (2024)

Soffioni Abruzzesi are cute little Italian cupcakes or muffins filled with fluffy Ricotta cream. They are easy to make and are an excellent addition to any occasion.

Soffioni Abruzzesi

Adults love them; kids love them. And what's not to love?

In Italian translation, Soffioni Abruzzesi means "Dandelion from Abruzzo", where Abruzzo is a region in Southern Italy.

Homemade shortcrust pastries are nestled inside the muffin cavities and filled with a sweet and lemony Ricotta cream. Everything is baked till nice and set.

And then, you can set the timer and watch these disappear in no time.

These delicious Italian pastries come out super fluffy and moist thanks to Ricotta cheese. After all, you won't expect anything else from classic Italian desserts.

Although traditionally these sweet Ricotta muffins are served for Easter, I don't see the reason why they can't be prepared for Christmas or at any other time of the year.

Despite their funky shape, these sweet Ricotta pastries are easy to make. You don't need special equipment except for the hand mixer, whisk, and a good muffin pan. (I like this non-stick muffin pan).

How do I make Ricotta muffins?

Make shortcrust pastry

In a medium bowl whisk 1 ⅓ c of flour and a pinch of salt. In another bigger bowl beat the egg with a fork or a whisk, just until the egg white and yolk are blended. Whisk in oil and 3 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Add sifted flour and salt mixture and first mix the dough with a spoon and then knead the dough with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth.

Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make Ricotta filling

Separate egg yolks from egg whites and keep both in different bowls.

In a bowl with yolks add the remaining granulated sugar and zest of 1 lemon. Using a hand whisk, mix until fluffy and light (about 5 minutes). Add 7 oz of Ricotta, 1 teaspoon of vanilla syrup and continue whisking until cream is smooth.

In a bowl with egg whites, add ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice, and using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.

Using a spatula, slowly fold the egg whites into the Ricotta cream.

Roll out the dough

Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into six pieces.

Lightly dust a rolling pin and working surface with flour and roll out each piece of dough into a square. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Arrange shortcrust dough in amuffin pan

Arrange the squares among muffin pan cavities lightly dusted with flour and leave out the flaps. Fill the squares with Ricotta cream and close the flaps.

Bake

Bake in a preheated to 350 F oven for 30 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 325 F and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until the tops are brown. RemoveSoffioni from the oven, let them cool, and remove them from the muffin pan.

If desired, dust the pastries with some icing sugar.

Tips To Make These Perfect

Some ovens require a little more baking time, and some a little less.

That's why I recommend keeping an eye on the pastries at all times. If you notice that they start to burn or brown too fast, you can reduce the oven temperature by 10 degrees and cover the pastry with a sheet of aluminum foil. You can remove the foil for 5 minutes before taking the pastries out of the oven.

Try these crowd-pleasing desserts

• Russian Apple Cake
• Dutch Almond Paste Log
• English Toffee Pudding
• Czech Trdelnik

Recipe