Italian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Struffoli

Neapolitan dough balls, fried golden brown, tossed in warm honey and piled into a wreath.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 400 g flour
• 3 eggs
• 50 g sugar
• 50 g soft butter
• 1 organic lemon (zest)
• 1 orange (zest)
• 2 tbsp limoncello (or orange juice)
• 1 pinch salt
• 500 ml olive oil for frying
• 300 g honey
• 60 g candied fruit
• 3 tbsp sugar sprinkles

Instructions

1. Knead flour, sugar, salt, the eggs, the soft butter, the grated lemon and orange zest and the limoncello for 8 min into a firm, smooth dough; let rest covered for 30 min.
2. Roll the dough in portions into pencil-thick ropes and cut these into 1 cm short pieces, dusting the pieces lightly with flour so they don't stick together.
3. Heat the oil in a tall pot to 170°C — a piece of dough should rise immediately and bubble evenly.
4. Fry the balls in batches for 2–3 min, until puffed up and golden brown, lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5. Let the honey become liquid in a wide pot over low heat for 2 min without boiling it, and carefully toss the still-warm balls in it until all are glossy.
6. Pile the struffoli onto a platter into a wreath, sprinkle with candied fruit and sugar sprinkles, and let set for 1 hour before serving.