Baking Bignè

Bignè are leavened by steam, a mechanical form of leavening. During baking, the moisture and the eggs in the dough expand and turn to steam, forming a cavity inside the pastry. The pastry puffs up and multiplies in size, but remains hollow inside. The exterior shell around the hollow partially dries out and becomes firm. This structure helps the shell to hold its shape when the pastries are removed from the oven and the steam pressure subsides. The bignè need to bake until they are completely dried out, or they will collapse as they cool. Therefore, they are baked at a relatively high temperature for 10 to 15 minutes as they puff and expand, then for several minutes more at a reduced temperature to dry out the interior without overly browning the outside. When properly baked and dried, the pastries will feel hollow and lighter than their size.