Strufoli
Submitted by colleenwaters
Strufoli are tiny Italian fried dough balls drizzled with warm honey and topped with rainbow sprinkles. A classic Neapolitan Christmas dessert shaped into a festive mound or wreath.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
1 hrsStrufoli are those little golden fried dough nuggets piled high on every Italian-American holiday table, glistening with warm honey and showered in colored sprinkles.
The dough itself is simple: eggs, a touch of sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and flour. It rests for half an hour, which relaxes the gluten and makes it easier to roll into ropes and cut into small pieces. Cut them about half an inch so they puff up evenly in the oil and cook through without burning on the outside.
Fry in small batches. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and gives you greasy, soggy balls instead of crisp, light ones. They should bob to the surface and turn golden in about a minute.
The honey gets heated until it’s just below boiling, then poured over the fried pieces and tossed gently. Work fast here. The honey cools and sets quickly, and you want every piece coated before it stiffens.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the oil at a steady temperature between 350°F and 375°F (175°C to 190°C). A candy or deep-fry thermometer is your best friend here.
- Use a frying basket if you have one. Scooping individual pieces out of hot oil with a slotted spoon takes forever.
- Shape the strufoli into a mound or wreath while the honey is still tacky. Once it cools, you can’t reshape.
- Store at room temperature, uncovered. Refrigerating makes the honey sweat and the dough go soft.
Variations
- Citrus strufoli: Add lemon zest and orange zest to the dough for a bright, fragrant twist that’s traditional in many Neapolitan families.
- Chocolate drizzle: After the honey sets, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top for a modern holiday spin.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and margarine.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time.
The last ½ cup of flour can be added if necessary to make a smooth dough.
Let dough stay in bowl, covered with a dish, for ½ hour.
Roll out portions of dough.
Cut dough into strips, rounded like pretzels, then cut in ½ inch pieces.
Heat about 2½ inches of oil in the bottom of a pan.
Fry the pieces of dough, a handful at a time.
If you can do this in a frying basket, it will be easier to take them out.
Place pieces on paper towels to drain.
Heat honey until just under the boiling point.
Place strufoli in a bowl and drizzle honey over them, gently tossing.
Arrange on a large platter and sprinkle with confetti.
(Shape into a mound on a large flat dish or into a wreath.)
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