Ingredients

For the sponge:

• 125g whole milk
• 25g strong white bread flour
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 7g instant yeast

For the dough:

• 225g strong white bread flour
• 25g caster suar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg (room temp)
• 30g olive oil
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange, and zest of 1/2 lemon

For the glaze:

• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for the strawberries

For the filling:

• 200ml double cream
• 8 fresh strawberries
• 2 tsp icing sugar
• Freeze-dried raspberries
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Hull the strawberries then slice into halves. Put into a bowl, sprinkle over sugar, and the lemon juice. Toss through gently and leave for up to two hours while you make the maritozzi.
2. To make the sponge, warm the milk to about 38°C – warm rather than hot when you test. Then mix the 25g flour, 2 tsp caster sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk in the warm milk and leave for 20 minutes. Nigella describes this as looking like puffy porride.
3. Then make the main dough by mixing the 225g flour with the sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the risen sponge mixture and mix by hand with a spoon or large spatula. Whisk the egg and olive oil, then mix that in. Then tip in the finely grated orange and lemon zest.
4. You’ll have a messy, soft, and sticky clump of dough. Leave for 10 minutes, then pour a little oil over the kitchen surface to cover a space for kneading. Knead by hand for 10 seconds then reform into a ball, and leave covered in the bowl for another 10 minutes. Then, repeat and knead for another 10 seconds, then return to the bowl. After another 10 minutes, do this once again with 10-seconds. Shape into a neat ball and leave in a warmish place for an hour until it’s doubled in size.
5. Line a flat baking sheet with baking parchment.
6. Once the dough is ready, divide into 8 balls. Shape each into a small round ball (around 60g each) then place on the baking sheet, leaving at least 5cm / 2 inches between each. Cover with the tea towel and leave for 30-45 minutes until they’ve risen more and look puffy.
7. For the glaze, put the water and sugar for the glaze into a small saucepan and heat to a bubble, then boil for 1 minute before taking off the heat.
8. When you’re coming to the last 30 minutes of proving, heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F. Uncover the puffy buns then cook for 12-14 minutes until dark gold and firm on top. Turn one over and its bottom should feel light and hollow.
9. Once ready, take the buns out and put them on a cooling rack. Use a pastry brush to paint with the sugar syrup glaze to make them glossy. Once all glazed, leave to cool.
10. When the buns are cool, whip the cream and icing sugar until softly thicked and airy, but not stiff, then cut the buns with a bread knife from the top downwards, nearly all the way through but not to the end. Fan the halves apart then use a teaspoon or piping bag to fill each bun with a stripe of cream.
11. Press into each one a macerated strawberry. Then use a palette knife to smooth the cream and wipe away any overspill. Roll in freeze-dried raspberries.
12. Eat straight away or within 1-2 hours.