Neapolitan Struffoli Recipes

STRUFFOLI ( NEAPOLITAN CHRISTMAS FRIED BALLS ) RECIPE

Steps:

• 01 - Place in a bowl Flour on a clean surface to work on the Dough. 02 - Form a well in the Flour, and place right in the centre Sugar, Eggs, Orange Zest, Butter and Aniseed Liqueur. Knead until smooth and uniform. 03 - Move the Dough to a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for about 30 minute at room temperature. 04 - Cut the Dough into 6 - 8 Balls. Roll the Dough Balls into a 1cm / 0.4in thick strings. 05 - Cut the Strings into small pieces 1cm / 0.4in long. Place all the balls on a clean towel. 06 - Heat the Oil at frying temperature ( 180C / 356F ) and using a skimmer immerge 10 - 20 Dough Balls at a time for about 4 minutes or until they golden, and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to dry excess oil. 07 - While the Struffoli cool, melt the Honey in bowl over very low heat. 08 - Mix in the Struffoli, the Cake Sprinkles, Candied Fruits and gently stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 09 - Place the Struffoli on a large plate. Let it cool. Serve.

NEAPOLITAN STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Combine flour, lemon zest, orange zest, baking powder, and salt together in a food processor; pulse to combine. Mix eggs and sugar together in a separate bowl; add 1/3 cup olive oil and vanilla extract and beat again. Mix together with flour mixture using hands to knead.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat frying oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface; continue to knead sticky dough with floured hands. Flatten dough into a thin loaf about 10 inches long. Cut long ropes from the loaf, then slice ropes into 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Fry dough pieces in batches in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Heat honey in a saucepan until warm and fluid, about 1 minute. Pour hot honey over struffoli and toss to coat. Sprinkle with multi-colored sprinkles.

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• To the bowl of a standing mixer, add eggs, egg yolk, and sugar and beat with wire whisk attachment until frothy (about 1 minute)
• Add softened/melted butter and beat until it is incorporated
• Add orange zest, and alcohol (if using) and mix until combined
• Add flour and salt and knead dough until a soft and uniform dough is produced (this took less than 1 minute for me using a mixer)
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest on counter for 30 minutes or so
• When ready to begin rolling and cutting the dough, unwrap dough and form into a square; then cut the square into 4 or 5 strips.
• Roll each strip into a long and thin snake shape that is about 1/4 inch in diameter (length will vary depending on size of your cuts but will be about 1.5 to 2 feet in length)
• After all dough has been rolled out, begin to cut the rolls into small nuggets about 1/4 inch in size. Some people go on to roll each of these little pieces, but it is not necessary.
• Set a large pan with enough canola oil to fry (about 1/2 to 1 inch of oil) over medium high heat and heat for a few minutes (you'll know it's ready by dropping one piece of struffoli in it and seeing it bubble).
• Fry the dough balls in batches; don't crowd the pan. The dough balls should be ready in less than 1 minute as soon as they begin turning golden I start to take mine out after 30 to 40 seconds. This will vary depending on the power of your stove/heat.
• Remove dough balls from oil with slotted spoon and place on dish lined with paper towels.
• If you are not making the honey syrup right away, store the dough balls in a covered container overnight or you may also freeze for up to one month.
• Using a medium to large frying pan, add honey, cinnamon, and orange zest to the pan and then cook gently over medium heat until the mixture bubble gently.
• Remove pan from heat
• As soon as honey is removed from heat, add the fried dough balls to coat them and stir until honey begins to thicken/cool down. At this stage, add sprinkles and sliced almonds
• To shape the wreath, place a small glass in the center of a dinner plate and arrange struffoli all around. Top with additional sprinkles if desired while the honey balls are still warm (otherwise they won't stick).

STRUFFOLI - TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HONEY BALLS

Steps:

• Let the butter soften 30 minutes into the oven turned off with the light on, then cut it into pieces and stir with a fork until smooth and inflated.
• After that, grate the lemon and orange to obtain zests.
• Now, crack the eggs and pour them into a bowl along with the sugar, the softened butter, the lemon and orange zests, 2 drops of Rum or Brandy, 1 drop of Anise flavor, and 1 pinch of salt.
• Finally, whisk until consistent.
• Add the flour, a little at a time into the butter and eggs mixture.
• Pouring the flour, pinch the dough with your fingers until the liquid will be absorbed by the flour, creating a sort of pastry crumbs.
• Now, compact and stretch out the crumbs until obtaining a consistent dough.
• Eventually, wrap the dough ant store into the lower part of the fridge at least 2 hours.
• Take a fistful of dough and roll it into a log 1/2 inch thick.
• Now, reduce the log into pieces 1/2 inch long. After that, pour the sesame oil into a pot and place over medium heat until reach 356° F (180° C).
• Eventually, fry the Struffoli a little at a time until golden, then place on paper towels to dry the oil in excess.
• Pour the honey into a nonstick pan, big enough to contain Struffoli.
• Place the pan over low heat and stir until fluid.
• Finally, place the pan far from the heat and add Struffoli and sweet decorations.
• It is possible to serve Struffoli just prepared, but the following days they will be even more delicious!

STRUFFOLI - - NEAPOLITAN CHRISTMAS TREATS

Steps:

• Combine the ingredients for the dough to make a workable dough, knead it well, and let it sit for at least an hour, covered. Pluck off piece and roll them out under your fingers to form snakes about as thin as your pinkie, and cut them into quarter-inch long pieces. Fry the pieces a few at a time in hot oil until brown, and drain them on absorbent paper. Should the oil start to froth after a bit, and the froth overflow the pot, change the oil. Take a second, preferably round-bottomed pot and put the honey, sugar and water in it. Boil the mixture until the foam dies down and it begins to turn yellow. At this point reduce the heat as much as possible and add the struffoli and the diced candied fruit. Stir to distribute everything evenly through the honey and turn the mixture out onto a plate. Shape the mixture into a wreath with a hole in the middle, dipping your hands frequently into cold water lest you burn yourself. Sprinkle the candied fruit strips and the diavolilli over the ring and arrange the cherry halves evenly. Struffoli will keep a week or more if covered, and improves with age.