Appolinas from Florence, Italy

[PaoPao]

Last year while staying in Central Florence we came across the large Mercato. A very large structure with Street Vendors lining the streets on the outside and a complet farmers market in the inside.

While perusing the isles we came across a bakery where they sold "Appolinas". Basically it looks like a miniature croissant that’s been baked a bit too long so it's crunchy. Then they cut it in half and fill it with either Nutella, or a lemon or vanilla crème.

These were so good that we literally spun around on our heals to go buy more after walking off and taking the first bite.

In the four days we stayed there I think I gained 5 lbs. on these little suckers. It's funny, before we left for our 6 week Europe trip everyone said we would loose weight because of all the walking. Heh, not us, I think we gained probably 15 lbs. each and that's including walking the Cinque Terre!

I've talked to almost every Italian baker in my town and have done searches on the Internet with no luck.

Would anyone here know of these, someone who makes them, and/or a possible a recipe?

Mille Grazie!!!!!!!!

[rooftop1000]

While this is probably no help at all I remembered seeing Rachel Ray eating these on the food network in Florence..... well I think this is where she got them

IL LATINI

Via del Palchetti 6R

Chiuso il Lunedi

Palazzo Rucellai

Florence, 50125

Italy

Tel: 055-210-916

[chefpeon]

So have you tried overbaking some miniature croissants and filling them with Nutella?

Heck, that's what I'd do.

Sometimes people happen on new or signature items from a baker's mistake. Maybe this was the case with the "Appolinas".

I can see it now.....

Baker forgets about miniature croissants, and leaves them in the oven too long.

Frugal owner refuses to throw them away, and he wants to squeeze any penny out of them he can.

He splits 'em in half and fills them with whatever he's got on hand.

He calls 'em "Appolinas" which possibly could be Italian for "bonehead bakery help".

He showcases them right where customers will see and try them,

and the rest is history.

This is one of the many ways a "signature item" is born.

[Swisskaese]

Here is a picture of them Apolline

It is puff pastry shaped like a croissant or triangle filled with whatever tickles your fancy. These are filled with hazelnut, coffee cream, white cream (?), vanilla cream and lemon cream.

Italians are not apt to make these at home.

I have also seen them filled with ricotta.

Edited January 22, 2005 by Swisskaese (log)

[maremosso]

Apolline are originally from Salerno.

They are available all over Italy, either sweet or savoury.

You could follow pretty much any old croissant recipe, and fill them as you like - Nutella is one way.

Or you could make them with a savoury filling of prosciutto (or bresaola), scamorza, bechamelle, then rolled and baked.

[JeanneCake]

Here is a picture of them [url=http://www.topricerche.net/engine/go.php?to=http%

The picture reminds me of Sfogliatelle, which are commonly filled with ricotta - but it might be a close approximation of what you had....

[M. Lucia]

Despite having spent much time at the Mercato Centrale, I wasn't familiar with apolline.

I would agree, they look like sfogliatella or lobster tails. Here's a picture of one.

They might be a good substitute, since they are more widely known.

Or, maybe use a corneto (Italian croissant) recipe to fill, as has been suggested.

[rooftop1000]

found a recipe... read fully though ...dont add butter ....explained at the end of course

1 1/2 cups (150 g) flour

A scant ounce of live yeast (20 g; use baker's yeast of the kind sold in supermarkets)

A little warm water or milk

For the dough:

4 1/2 cups (450 g) flour

1 1/4 cups (250 g) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

6 or 7 yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The grated zest of a lemon

A pinch of salt

A little milk

To make the biga: dissolve the yeast in a little warm water or milk. Combine the yeasty milk with the flour, adding more liquid if necessary to obtain a smooth soft dough. Put it in a lightly floured bowl, make an X in its surface, cover it with a cloth, and put it in a warm place to rise.

Preparing the dough: You can work either by hand or using a mixer. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the salt, the sugar, the vanilla or lemon zest, and mix. Scoop a depression into the mixture and fill it with the eggs, and then work everything together either by hand or with the beater, adding, if need be, a little water; you should obtain a homogeneous, very elastic dough that comes away from the sides of a bowl (or your work surface if you're mixing directly on it). Break the butter, which should be soft, into bits, and incorporate it. Then incorporate the biga, kneading the dough energetically and throwing it down on your work surface, until bubbles appear in the dough and it becomes shiny. At this point shape it into a ball, put it in a slightly flowered bowl, with a flowered cloth to cover, and set it in a cool place for a couple of hours (not warm).

When the time is up return the dough to your work surface and knead it for a few more minutes, then return it to the bowl and put it in a cool place overnight. Pastry chefs prepare the dough in the evening to have it ready the next morning.

This is to make brioches; if you're making cornetti, Ms. Gosetti warns you not to put the butter in the dough when you make it, because you'll be adding it now. You'll need a scale here; for every 100 g (4 ounces) of dough you'll need 40 g of unsalted butter. So the dough/butter relationship is 10 to 4. The butter should be in one piece, and should be soft when you begin.

You'll also need a little flour, a little sugar, and a whole egg or some syrup made by boiling down sugar and water.

Begin by rolling the dough out into a square or circle that's large enough to wrap around the butter. Put the dough in the middle of the sheet, wrap the dough around it and roll it out again. Fold the dough into quarters and roll it out again, as if you were making puff pastry, and repeat the process once more. Finally, fold it up, put it on a plate, and chill it for about 15 minutes.

When the time is up remove it from the fridge, roll it out, fold it up, and chill it 15 minutes more. Then lightly flour your work surface, put the dough on it, and roll it out to form a rectangle about 5 inches (12 cm) wide, 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick, and as long as it gets.

Once you've finished rolling out the sheet, cut it into triangles 4 inches (10 cm) wide at the base and the height of the sheet (5 inches). Starting with the base of the triangles, roll them up, turning them so the tip in the middle faces up, and lay them on a lightly buttered, floured cookie sheet, bending the ends forward to give them a crescent shape and leaving some space between them lest they expand and coalesce as they bake. You can, if you want, put spoonfuls of marmalade on the triangles of dough before you roll them up (the most common flavors are orange and apricot).

When you are done cover your cornetti and put them in a warm place to rise. When they have, brush them with beaten egg or sugar syrup, sprinkle them with a little sugar, and bake them in a preheated 400 F (200 C) oven for about 15 minutes.

[ladyyoung98]

oddly enough once i looked at the pics....though the shape does resembel a croissant to me it seems that basically its a version of a cream puff but made from croissants..which ironically after seeing the chocolate filled one..they used to sell chocolate croissants at the safeway i used to shop at when i lived in arizona

[PaoPao]

You all Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you sooo much!