ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE

Zeppole di San Giuseppe image

Provided by Annamaria Settanni McDonald

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 14

PASTRY DOUGH
2 c water
1 tsp kosher salt
2 stick butter, unsalted
2 c flour
2 tsp sugar
8 eggs
3 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
FILLING
custard (see below)
GARNISH
custard filling recipe (see link in comments)
cherry pie filling, marachino cherries or preserved wild cherries
powdered sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 400 F.
2. Place the water, salt, sugar and butter in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and dump the flour in all at once, whisking it all in.
4. Return to the burner start stirring with a wooden spoon.
5. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough starts to pull easily from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and stir until tepid, 6 to 8 minutes.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring in each one completely before adding the next.
8. Stir in the vanilla. Cool completely.
9. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough into a pastry bag with a 1-inch star tip and pipe 2-inch rings onto the trays, as many as can fit.
10. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, then at 375 F for 15-20 minutes until evenly browned. Remove and let cool.
11. When cool, carefully slice rings in half and scoop out eggy wet dough. Fill with custard and place cap of pastry on top.
12. Top each zeppole with custard in middle and top with cherry. Sprinkle Powdered sugar on top.
13. NOTE: You can also fry this dough in oil after you pipe them until golden brown and then just fill the middle of the rings with custard and top with a cherry filling, preserved wild cherries or a maraschino cherry.