Struffoli is a Neapolitan dessert made for Christmas. It's a chickpea-sized fried dough coated in honey and orange syrup. These little balls are airy and soft in the middle and perfectly crunchy outside with a hint of orange and lemon. Struffoli is a symbol of wealth and, therefore, good wishes for the new year.
Making Struffoli is easy and requires just a few ingredients, but shaping the dough into small balls takes time and patience. The good news is it keeps fresh for quite some time, so you can actually make it a day ahead and keep at room temperature.
Method
Struffoli 13 Steps
-
Step 1
Place the flour, sugar, the orange and lemon zests, salt and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
-
Step 2
Add the butter and pulse until the butter is fully incorporated.
-
Step 3
Add eggs and pulse until the the dough forms.
-
Step 4
Lightly flour your working surface and transfer the dough to the surface. Form into a ball and wrap the dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-
Step 5
Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece on the work surface into a 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut the rope into 1/3-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small ball and place on the baking sheet.
-
Step 6
Heat up the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.
-
Step 7
Fry the dough balls in batches until cooked and golden brown.
-
Step 8
Make the syrup by adding the honey, orange juice and sugar in a skillet. Bring to a simmer and simmer for a minute or until sugar dissolves.
-
Step 9
Add all of the dough balls to the skillet and toss until well coated.
-
Step 10
Coat outside of a glass with cooking spray and place in the middle of a round plate.
-
Step 11
Pile the struffoli around the glass, creating a wreath shape.
-
Step 12
Drizzle the remaining syrup over the top and decorate with sprinkles.
-
Step 13
Let sit for 10 minutes then carefully remove the glass. Serve and enjoy!
Tags:
Christmas Recipes
Struffoli
