Strufoli Recipes

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Beat eggs, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; stir in baking powder. Slowly stir flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into egg mixture until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into small balls.
• Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) or until you see little waves on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Working in small batches, fry dough balls in the hot oil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer struffoli to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
• Heat honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly mix 1/2 cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, into honey until sugar is melted and glaze is smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer struffoli to a large bowl and pour glaze over the top; toss quickly to evenly coat before glaze hardens.
• Form struffoli into a tower-shape or Christmas tree-shape on a serving plate. Sprinkle nonpareils sprinkles over the struffoli.

STRUFOLI I

Steps:

• Place eggs in bowl and beat until they have tripled in volume. Add flour gradually until well blended (do not use all the flour). The dough should remain slightly sticky.
• Transfer to floured board. Cut off a piece at a time. Using a little flour, if needed, roll between your hands to form pencil shapes.
• Cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Place each on floured cloth. In a large pan on top of the stove, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep-fry pieces about 1/2 cup at a time, turning constantly until golden. Drain and set aside. (Note: after several batches, dough begins to turn brown quickly. This means it is time to change the oil)
• In large pan, bring honey to boil with vanilla bean. Discard bean. Place deep-fried pieces into hot honey and toss until all are coated. Cool and stir in chocolate, nuts, and multi-colored jimmies. Place on plate, shaping firmly into tall cone. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• For the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together 2 cups of flour, lemon zest, orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the eggs, wine, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture forms into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough until 1/4-inch thick. Cut each piece of dough into 1/2-inch wide strips. Cut each strip of pastry into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small ball about the size of a hazelnut. Lightly dredge the dough balls in flour, shaking off any excess. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.). In batches, fry the dough until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. (The rested and quartered dough can also be rolled on a floured work surface into 1/2-inch thick logs and cut into equal-sized 1/2-inch pieces. The dough pieces can then be rolled into small balls and fried as above).
• In a large saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the fried dough and hazelnuts and stir until coated in the honey mixture. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for 2 minutes.
• Spray the outside of a small, straight-sided water glass with vegetable oil cooking spray and place in the center of a round platter. Using a large spoon or damp hands, arrange the struffoli and hazelnuts around the glass to form a wreath shape. Drizzle any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli. Allow to set for 2 hours (can be made 1 day in advance). Decorate with sprinkles and dust with powdered sugar, if using. Remove the glass from the center of the platter and serve.