Italian Donuts Recipes

FRITTELLE {CIAMBELLE} - ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Start by dissolving yeast in lukewarm milk. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
• In a bowl of a standing mixer add 6 cups of flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest.Using a dough hook attachment start to mix on low speed.
• Slowly pour in the milk with yeast.Add eggs and butter cut in cubes.
• Increase the speed and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it starts to wrap lightly around the dough hook and come off the sides of the mixer bowl.
• The dough should be soft but NOT sticky.NOTE: If the dough doesn't come together or it's too sticky add another ½ cup of flour and a few more table spoons at a time if needed.
• Transfer the dough into a large clean bowl, cover with a linen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft free place.It'll take anywhere between 1.5 to 2 hours at 75-80F and it'll take much longer in a cooler place.
• Once the dough has almost tripled in size, turn the bowl upside down and let the dough come out in a floured surface. Work the dough with your hands for a minute or two, dust with more flour if needed.
• Using a dough scraper cut off a fourth of the dough and with a rolling pin roll it out approx ⅓ -¼ of an inch thick.
• Using a doughnut cutter cut out the doughnuts and place them on a well floured surface leaving enough space in between. Cover them with a dry linen/kitchen towel and let rise (always in a warm place) for about an hour.
• In a deep pan preheat vegetable oil suitable for frying. The best temperature to start frying the doughnuts is about 350F. You can measure it with a kitchen thermometer.
• But if you don't have one try frying a small piece of the dough first. If it comes up floating in less than 5 seconds the oil is ready.
• Once oil is heated turn the temperature on medium low to prevent oil from overheating.
• Fry fritelle for a few minutes on each side continuously covering them with hot oil when frying. Once they're lightly brown on both sides discard on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
• Dip each doughnut quickly in fine sugar.Serve hot, warm, cold or re-heated.

ITALIAN SFINGI (ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder.
• Add eggs, water, and vanilla; mix well.
• Drop batter by tablespoons in hot, deep oil.
• If oil is hot enough, sfingi will cook and turn over without help.
• If not, turn with a large spoon to brown on both sides.
• Add as many sfingi that will fit in skillet or deep-fryer.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle warm sfingi with powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.
• Delicious served warm!

ZEPPOLE - ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar and salt. Cook until the butter completely melts.
• Add the flour all at once and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue cooking for a minute or two.
• Place the dough in the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix with a paddle attachment, until you don't see any more steam rising up from the bowl.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are fully incorporated. You can also use a hand held mixer, or even mix up the dough by hand.
• Meanwhile, pour in enough oil into a large, heavy pot (I use my Dutch oven). You should have at least 2 inches of oil, I usually use one full container of oil. Heat up the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Transfer the dough to a large ziptop bag. Cut a hole in one corner. Slowly pipe out the dough and cut off snippets of the dough right into the oil. Be careful not to splash yourself. You can also use 2 small spoons to drop bits of dough into the oil, or use a small portion scoop.
• Keep the temperature above 350 at all times, preferably 360-375 degrees.
• Fry the zeppole about 5 minutes, turning over the ones that don't turn themselves over.
• Take them out of the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate, baking sheet, etc. When you're done frying all the zeppole, dust them with powdered sugar.

ZEPPOLE RECIPE- ITALIAN DONUTS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp dry active yeast 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 1/2 cup warm water.
• Using the hook attachment, mix until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the mixer bowl. Depending on the flour you use, you may need to add more. Add 1-2 tablespoons extra at a time.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl greased with olive oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
• In the meantime, fill a heavy-bottomed pot with about 2 inches of corn oil or any other high smoke point oil like vegetable or canola. Bring the heat to medium-high. Using an instant-read thermometer, make sure the oil is between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Now using kitchen shears, snip off small pieces (about 1 1/2 tablespoon) of the dough and use a spoon to scrape the zeppole dough into the hot oil.
• Fry the zeppole for about 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to fried Italian donuts into a plate lined with paper towels.
• Once the zeppole are done and slightly cooled, dust them in powdered sugar and enjoy!

GRANDMA'S ZEPPOLE ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Add 2-inch oil to a large pot and heat to 375˚F (190˚C).
• In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add water, butter, sugar and salt. Cook until butter melts completely.
• Lower the heat and add flour. Use the wooden spoon to mix vigorously until well combined.
• Transfer the dough into a large mixing bowl. Let it cool off slightly, about 3-5 minutes, then add eggs, one at a time. Mix the eggs with the dough using a hand-mixer or wooden spoon. (Make sure your dough is not too hot, otherwise the eggs will scramble when added to the dough.)
• Check the temperature of the oil, if it's ready, it's time to fry the donuts. Use a small spoon to spoon out the batter, and then use another spoon or spatula to scrape the batter into the oil. Make sure to lower the spoon into the oil very gently so that you won't splash the oil onto yourself.
• Cook in batches and fry 10-12 donuts at a time. Fry for 4-5 minutes for each batch until they turn golden brown. You'll need to turn them over from time to time to make sure all sides get cooked properly.
• Remove cooked zeppole from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

ZEPPOLE RECIPE (EASY ITALIAN DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large 3-quart saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, granulated sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once using a wooden spoon. Once incorporated, place the saucepan back over medium heat and stir constantly for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook the flour. The dough will look smooth and a thin film will form on the bottom of the pan.
• Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed for 1 minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add 4 eggs, adding them 1 at a time and allowing eggs to fully incorporate between each addition. Once all eggs are incorporated, beat another minute until the dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when you pull up on the whisk.
• Transfer dough to a piping bag with a 1/2-inch opening, or use a large zip bag and cut a 1/2-inch opening at the tip.
• Heat oil to 375˚F in a dutch oven with a thermometer attached, or in a deep fryer. Once oil is hot, pipe 1-inch lengths into the hot oil, swiftly cutting the dough as you pipe into the oil. Pipe closer to the surface of the oil to avoid oil splashes.
• Fry 4-5 minutes total, turning them over halfway if they don't turn on their own then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to soak up extra oil then dust with powdered sugar to serve.

EASIEST EVER AIR FRIED DONUTS

Steps:

• Separate all of the biscuits and place them on the cutting board.
• Use a 1-inch cookie or donut cutter or similar to cut a hole in the middle of the biscuits. If you do not have a 1-inch donut cutter, you can cut with a knife, use the back of a pipping tip.
• Place 4 donuts in the air fryer and 4 donut holes. (I have a Cosori 5,8 QT) and I can cook 4 at the time with the donut holes.
• Bake at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown.
• If you have a hot kitchen place the remaining 4 donuts and donut holes back in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, in a medium size (large enough to fit a donut) bowl combine the sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside.
• Place melted butter in a medium bowl large enough to fit a donut.
• When your donuts are nice and golden brown, take them out of the air fryer and place them on a plate. One at a time place the donuts in the butter and flip to coat both sides. Let the excess butter drip off and then transfer them to the bowl with the sugar cinnamon mixture. The cinnamon mixture will stick to the donut due to the butter coating.
• Let the donut rest on a rack.
• Repeat with the last four biscuits.

ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds. Using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each doughnut. Gather the dough scraps and reroll. Cut out more doughnuts.
• Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.
• Pour equal parts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. While the doughnuts are still warm, generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.
• Alternately, cool the fried doughnuts to room temperature. Stir 3 ounces of milk chocolate and 1/4 cup of whipping cream in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until the chocolate melts. Set aside until the chocolate sauce comes to room temperature but does not set. Dip 1 side of each doughnut into the chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with finely chopped toasted almonds or crushed espresso beans and set aside until the chocolate is set.

ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Pour equal parts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds. Using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each doughnut. Gather the dough scraps and re-roll to cut out more doughnuts.
• Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.
• When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. While the doughnuts are still warm, add to the bowl with cinnamon-sugar and generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.
• Alternately, cool the fried doughnuts to room temperature. Stir 3 ounces milk chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until the chocolate melts. Set aside until the chocolate sauce comes to room temperature but does not set. Dip 1 side of each doughnut into the chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with finely chopped toasted almonds or crushed espresso beans and set aside until the chocolate is set.