It’s a gloriously sunny morning in Rome. You’re standing at the counter of one of the most beloved and bustling panetterie in town amongst a hodgepodge of first-time tourists and Italian regulars, who sip in and slip and out like a well-oiled espresso machine. A frothy cappuccino is set down on the bar while a maritozzo is simultaneously handed to you by the busy barista. You marvel for a moment at its simplicity and structure, the detectably warm, soft, yet impossibly sturdy bun, enveloping an unfathomable amount of barely-sweet whipped cream. Consuming this confection would be a daunting feat to some, but not for pastry chef Hana Quon. This very experience ignited her desire to create and share maritozzi with Americans at Boston patisserie Café Madeleine.
Since that inspirational trip, French-trained Quon has incorporated her own version of maritozzi into the South End bakery’s pastry repertoire, proving that French and Italian cuisine can indeed co-exist. Here Hana dishes to La Cucina Italiana about her pastry beginnings, inspirations, and tips for tackling these mammoth marveilles!
Hana Quon
How did you get into pastry?
I graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in English and Linguistics. I had worked as a program assistant at the National Endowment for Humanities for two years post-grad. I always loved food, and decided to take a recreational baking class at L’Academie de Cuisine for fun. It felt simplistic, so I went for the full pastry course. In order to get a certificate, I had to complete six-month externship, and once I committed to that and really got into the kitchen, I never looked back. I quickly realized that cooking for friends and family versus paying customers is totally different. I worked for a bunch of different chefs, people and hotels, both small and high production. I moved to Cape Cod to work with a specific chef and my mentor, Frédéric Robert. That’s one of the pros of industry. You can move anywhere, anytime and work. Frédéric sent me to a pastry school in Paris, and upon returning, asked if I wanted to open a bakery with him in Boston. He’s from a small village in France and felt that we could replicate that old world, neighborhood feeling here. It took a year of hard work, and we’ve since been open for six!
Where did your first maritozzo experience take place?
We have a tradition of closing Café Madeleine every year for one month. This is very Parisian, except they close in August and in Boston we do it in February. Every other year I go to Europe so I can work in France. In 2019, I did a road trip with my husband through Spain, France and Italy, which was the first time I saw maritozzi at Roscioli in Rome. I didn’t know what they were, but was taken by how striking, simple looking and astonishingly beautiful they were with that double mouthful of cream. I was especially drawn to the architecture of the cream. I tried one standing up at the counter with a double espresso, then started seeing them everywhere and was amazed by the slight variations with the same simple form. Some were round, some were oblong, and some were standing up. They were just so cute, each with their own little personality!
Where is your favorite maritozzo in Italy?
I had a few around Rome, but Roscioli was head and shoulders above the others; a soft bun with structural integrity and a high quality cream that was whipped to a specific composition. Both elements need to be excellent, and they really nail it there. They are made to order at Roscioli, which displays the level of care taken in ensuring the utmost freshness for each customer. I loved how much attention was given to the maritozzi and how that specific item was important enough to be made to order.
Hana Quon's Maritozzi
What made you decide to start making them?
I’m a classically French trained pastry chef, but have always been intrigued by popular European pastries in general. I’m constantly on the lookout for ones that may not have made their way over to America as extensively, and ensuring what I’m doing isn’t too trendy, rather historically eaten for centuries. I strive to invest my time and efforts into something that’s well loved and not a passing fad, as well as introducing it to a new audience that perhaps due to cultural differences, has not yet experienced it. Americans don’t have the classic Italian counter-standing breakfast culture. Upon tasting a maritozzo, I felt it was the Italian counterpart to the French Choux à la Crème, but immediately realized that they are vastly different. It’s closer to Tropézienne with raisins or candied orange, as well as different versions of fruit-centric crème buns in Japan and Korea.
Your maritozzi are beautiful. What inspired the composition?
The ones I made originally were on their backs, but in order to stuff them with the amount of cream I wanted, I had to orient them the other way. It’s also a bit easier for the bun to open standing up rather then on it’s back. Certain fruits, like strawberries, look great cut open and others don’t. I was inspired by strawberry season and New England’s fruit season in general. I included a strawberry jam to enhance the flavor of the fresh berries and add a textural difference. Following the principles of pastry, I wanted to create a symphony of flavors and textures. The other flavors blossomed from there. Pistachio and orange are a classic European combo, so I did a riff on that with an excellent Bronte pistachio paste and beautiful Cara Cara oranges. It took a bit of trial and error on how to successfully suspend the fruit in the crème, but overall, I’m really happy with the results!
How do you decide on the flavor combinations? Any cultural influences?
We recently held a fundraiser for the API community and I did a strawberry matcha maritozzo, which was a bit of a nod to my Asian background. I think tea and fruit flavors go really well together. For maritozzi, cream is always the star, so if I’m adding a flavor to the cream, I try to practice good judgment. I tend to stick to one fruit and one cream flavor. Berries, currants, apricots, and pluots are stunning in New England, so a traditional vanilla cream with an herb like basil would be interesting.
What is your personal favorite flavor combination?
I’d have to say the Orange Pistachio! I’m a sucker for pistachio, and we use a great, deeply nutty pistachio paste that contrasts the bright citrus nicely. I really love that combo.
Are there any special seasonal ones to look out for?
In addition to our current varieties, I’m really excited for the fall and winter where I will play with classic European pastry flavors like coffee cream, pear and spices like cinnamon and star anise. I guess I’ll try pumpkin because it’s very Boston, but I’m not too sure how I feel about it. A deeply caramelized apple would also be great because there are so many different options when it comes to acidity, sweetness and cider flavors. Then there’s always chocolate! You can go crazy deep with the single origin chocolates. Liquors, like tiramisu flavors, also intrigue me.
Any tips on how to eat maritozzi without making a complete mess?
I like to eat them like a hot dog! You may have to turn them around a few times and bite from either end, but that has proven to be the most successful way for me.
When are they available?
Right now, they’re available three times per week. We make a bunch of seasonal pastries daily, so we incorporate them into that rotation. In terms of flavors, we highlight what’s in season. The maritozzi are available on a first come first serve basis because we sell out every day. We make and sell six at a time. They're inspired by the made-to-order maritozzi I fell in love with in Italy. We aren’t taking pre-orders right now but hope that will change in the future.