Snowflakes

To prepare the snowflakes, first take the butter out of the fridge to soften. Start with the dough: pour the all-purpose flour into a large bowl. Add the sugar 1, crumbled fresh yeast 2, and room temperature water 3. 

Gradually pour in the milk 4 while kneading 5, then add a pinch of salt 6.

Add the vanilla bean seeds to the softened butter 7. Now transfer the dough to the work surface, spread it out with your hands, and place the flavored butter in the center 8, then fold the dough over itself 9. 

Knead by hand vigorously to incorporate the butter 10. You should obtain a smooth, slightly sticky dough 11. Let it rise in the bowl 12, covered with plastic wrap, for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. 

Once the indicated time has passed, flip the risen dough onto the counter and break off small pieces about 1 oz each 13; with these amounts, you will get about 28. Work each piece of dough as follows: bring the edges towards the center 14, then roll the ball on the work surface with the seam facing down to give it a spherical shape and seal it well. Do this for all to form the snowflakes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart 15.

Once all the balls are formed 16, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap, being careful not to pull it too tight so as not to crush the dough 17. Let it rise at room temperature for about one and a half hours. In the meantime, you can focus on the filling: pour the cornstarch into a saucepan 18.

Add the sugar 19, vanilla extract 20, and honey 21. 

Pour in the milk, a little at a time 22, while stirring with the whisk 23. Place on the stove and cook over medium heat to thicken the mixture 34.

Transfer the cream to a low, wide dish 25, cover with plastic wrap 26, and let it cool completely in the refrigerator. In a large bowl, pour the cow's ricotta, well-drained of excess whey and sifted 27.

Add the powdered sugar 28 and grate the lemon zest 29, then mix well with a spatula 30. 

Now semi-whip the fresh liquid cream with electric whisks 31. Take the cream out of the fridge, soften it a bit with the whisk 32, then incorporate it into the ricotta 33. 

Finally, fold in the semi-whipped cream in two stages with gentle movements from bottom to top 34. The cream is ready 35, transfer it to a piping bag without a nozzle and store it in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, break an egg and pour in the milk 36.

Mix 37 and brush the risen bites with the mixture obtained 38. Bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F for 15-18 minutes maximum; they should be slightly golden on the surface. Once they are cooked, take them out of the oven and let them cool. Using a nozzle, create a hole at the base of each snowflake 39.

Fill the snowflakes with the cream 40 and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar 41. Your snowflakes are ready to be enjoyed 42!