Struffoli Recipes

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.

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.

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Get out a large, rimmed baking sheet and shake the semolina over the base. And get out another tray (it doesn't have to be a baking sheet) and line it with a double layer of paper towels. Set both aside while you get on with the dough.
• Beat the eggs, sugar, finely grated lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until frothy. Gradually add about 2 2/3 cups of the flour and the baking powder, and mix to a dough. If it is too sticky, then add more flour and keep kneading, using either your hands or a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook, until you have a smooth, pliable dough. This doesn't take very long: probably around 3 minutes or 5 by hand.
• Flour your work surface and turn out your dough. Then divide the dough into 10 roughly equal pieces, each about the size of a golf ball. Take 1 ball and roll it into a rope approx. 1/2 inch thick, then with floury hands divide this into about 20 small pieces, and roll each piece between your hands (flouring them again if this helps) to make marble-sized balls.
• Place the formed balls of dough on the semolina-sprinkled baking sheet, as you shape them. Repeat the process with the remaining golf-ball-sized portions of dough: you should make a staggering 200 of the tiny balls!
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy pan-about 11 inches diameter and at least 6 inches deep-and then when the oil is at 375°F but no higher (you can leave a preserving or candy thermometer in, if you want), or a piece of bread sizzles and browns immediately when dropped in the pan, you can begin to cook the dough balls. Regulate the temperature and keep a careful eye on the pan and the oil all the time.
• Gently lower, using a mesh scoop or perforated spoon, about 15 little dough balls at a time. At first they will sink and then, as they cook, they'll float to the surface and begin to turn golden brown. This will take up to about 1 minute depending on how many you have in at a time, but be ready to fish them out with your mesh scoop or perforated spoon onto the paper towel-lined tray as soon as they become the right golden color. And keep watching your pan.
• Continue to cook them in batches-making sure the oil returns to the correct temperature but doesn't get too hot or bubble too vigorously-until they are all fried; you can pile them up on the tray without harm. Now turn off the heat under the oil pan, and move on to the adhesive and assembly stage.
• Pour the honey into a roasting pan that can go on the stove, and heat very gently until it becomes runny-a matter of moments, so do not leave the pan-then take it off the heat.
• Tip all of the fried dough balls into the warmed honey and, using a soft spatula, turn them gently to coat them. Get out a large plate or cake stand with a slight lip or rim and, with wet hands, check the balls are not too hot then pick up the sticky balls and arrange them around the outer edge of the plate in the shape of a bobbly wreath, leaving just a small empty circle in the middle. Do not worry about symmetry or perfection or counting dough balls here, please.
• Wash the honey from your hands and shake your chosen sprinkles over the sticky wreath, then stand back and admire, before placing your creation where others can do likewise. These struffoli are best, to my mind, eaten on the day they're made. Use a scoop or spoon and fork to serve. It will be a sticky affair, but that's part of their charm.