Lobster Tail Pastry with Custard (Italian Sfogliatella)

Sfogliatella is one of the most famous Italian pastries, with many regions offering their spin on the recipe. Although traditionally associated with Naples, it is believed that the original sfogliatella was invented around 1700 on the Italian Amalfi Coast, as a creation of nuns from the Santa Rosa monastery. This version was filled with luscious custard cream and black cherries preserved in syrup, and although the nuns were forbidden to have contact with the external world, the recipe was somehow obtained by a Neapolitan chef who started preparing his variety of these delicious sweets which soon became a Naples favourite. Nowadays, they are offered in two main varieties: riccia and frolla. Sfogliatella riccia is regarded as the traditional and the most common variety. It is an elaborate dessert made with multiple layers of paper-thin dough arranged in a clam-shaped pocket, filled with a delicious cream made with semolina, water, ricotta, sugar, eggs, cubed candied fruit, cinnamon, and a pinch kosher or sea salt.

Lobster Tail Pastry:
flour (500 g)
1 pinch sea salt
water, more if needed (175 mL)
pure honey (25 g)

Filling:
whole milk (450 mL)
white sugar (100 g)
1 pinch sea salt
semolina flour (150 g)
ricotta (500 g)
1 egg large
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cinnamon
candied orange peel, finely chopped (50 g)

Topping:
butter or lard (150 g)
confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add water and honey, and then mix to create a stiff dough. Then gradually add water.

Place the dough on the counter and knead until it's smooth and supple. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, split the dough into 4 pieces. Get one piece, then roll through a pasta machine. Roll using the widest setting, then fold in half and roll again. Do the same on each dough. Repeat this process until you create smooth sheets by gradually decreasing the width on each roll.

When the sheet is at 1mm thick, lay it on the surface and apply a thin layer of lard or butter. Create thin sheets of the other doughs as well and roll them into similar thin layers. Roll up the first thin sheet to create a tight sausage shape.

Next, wrap the next thin dough sheet around the original sausage shape pastry dough, layering up to create one large cylinder. Cover with a saran wrap and chill for 1-2 hours for the pastry to firm up.

Now, to make the filling. Place the milk, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the semolina flour until it thickens and becomes smooth. After it has cooled down, transfer to a bowl. Then, add the remaining ingredients, stirring all the while to create a smooth, thick filling. Set aside, preferably inside the fridge.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Bring out the pastry roll and cut them into 1 cm-thick pieces. Use your fingers, greased with lard or butter, to make an impression on the center to create a cone shape.

Get the filling and scoop a spoonful into the hollow and press the edges of the pastry together to lock. Repeat these for the rest, and line up all pastries on the tray.

When you're done putting filling on all the dough pieces, bake the pastries for about 30 minutes.

When done, allow to cool for only a couple of minutes before sprinkling them with confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately.