Best Struffoli Honey Balls Recipes

STRUFFOLI O CICERCHIATA (ITALIAN HONEY DOUGH BALLS)

Steps:

• Mix flour, eggs, butter, sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest, rum extract, and salt together in a large bowl to create a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand for 30 minutes.
• Roll dough into a thin log the width of your pinky finger, about 1/4 inch. Cut log into small pieces; roll into balls. Dust with flour to prevent from sticking.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan. Place a few balls of dough in a sieve to shake off excess flour. Cook in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining balls of dough.
• Pour honey into a saucepan over low heat. Cook until a small amount of honey dropped into cold water forms a soft ball. Add fried balls of dough to the hot honey; stir gently with a wooden spoon until coated.
• Rinse a serving plate and shake off the water. Pile dough balls onto the serving plate in the shape of a dome or ring using damp hands or a damp wooden spoon. Garnish with sugar sprinkles. Let cool completely.

ITALIAN HONEY BALLS (PIGNOLATA OR STRUFFOLI)

Steps:

• Mix dough ingredients well. Knead on floured board. Let dough rest for a while.
• Roll dough into 1/4 inch thick pieces.
• Cut dough into 1/4 strips and roll thin (thinner than a pencil).
• Cut off pieces of rolls making tiny pieces (smaller than peas).
• Deep fry in oil. Drain well on paper towels.
• Meanwhile heat honey and sugar. Boil for 15 minutes.
• Stir hot syrup into dough pieces. Stir in almonds.
• Using finger tips dipped in ice water carefully pour mixture onto board. Make into individual size cirles (golf ball size).
• Warning this is very hot so use cooled fingers and spatula to shape but you must work quickly as it hardens quickly.
• Some put sprinkles on top but that is optional.

STRUFFOLI (HONEY BALLS)

Steps:

• Beat together eggs, sugar, and oil until foamy. Add flour and baking soda slowly while kneading. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.
• Divide into 8 smaller balls. Roll each ball into a rope 1/2 inch across, and cut into pieces 1/3-1/2 inch long. Flour each piece lightly to prevent them from sticking together. Fry dough in oil at 375 until golden brown and puffy. Drain well. Arrange fried dough in a tray or mixing bowl.
• Prepare Honey Glaze, and pour over fried dough turn dough until evenly coated with Honey Glaze.
• Honey Glaze directions:.
• Boil liquid ingredients until thick remove from heat, and pour over cake.
• Arrange in a pyramid on a serving plate, and cover with candy sprinkles or slivered almonds.
• Cool before serving.

STRUFFOLI- HONEY BALLS ALA LIDIA RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• 1. Pulse together flour, 1 tbsp sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt in food processor. In separate bowl whisk together eggs and vanilla. Add egg mixture to food processor- drop in butter pieces- process until smooth- place dough in plastic wrap- let sit for 1 hour at room tempreature. Make the syrup- place honey, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water into skillet and on medium heat bring to boil- 6-7 minutes. In another side skillet- heat the vegetable oil, 365 degrees. Cut the dough into piece and roll into 1/2 inch thick length- cut with pasta knife into hazelnut pieces- take each piece and roll dough in hands and make round. Place in frying oil- cook until golden broan. remove from skillet and place on paper towels. Place the stuffoli balls into the honey syrup, and toss around until fully coated. Place on plate in layers and form cone/Christmas tree form. PLace sprinkles on top and pieces of diced marichino cherries.

STRUFFOLI (ITALIAN HONEY BALLS)

Steps:

• 1. Beat eggs with vanilla and salt. Stir in enough flour to make a soft managable dough. Mix well.
• 2. Toss onto floured board or countertop and knead 5 minutes til smooth. Cut in half and wrap in parchment paper ( flour the balls so you can get them off the paper!).
• 3. Set aside and place in a cool place for 30 minutes to rest.
• 4. Take pieces of dough and on floured countertop, roll into rope like shapes. Cut each into very tiny pieces.( 1/4" pieces). Spread on lightly floured surface and let them rest again for another 30 minutes.
• 5. Heat oil in heavy medium size saucepan and place balls into pan in batches, keeping an eye on them as they brown very quickly. Drain each batch on paper towels.
• 6. Pour sugar, honey and zest into medium pan and heat to dissolve sugar. Place all the balls into the pan and stir to coat all.
• 7. Pile them onto a pretty plate into a cone shape. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles.

STRUFFOLI/PIGNOLATA (AKA HONEY BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, grated lemon peel (if desired), and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil until foamy.
• Gradually add flour and baking powder.
• *Using your hands, mix and knead the mixture well, forming a dough.
• Knead the dough until smooth.
• (*A Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook may be used for mixing/kneading the dough).
• Form dough into a ball.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface, and divide dough into 8 to 10 smaller balls.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a"rope" about a 1/2 inch wide, and 10 inches long.
• Using a sharp knife, cut each rope into 1/3 inch pieces.
• (Optional, pieces may be rolled into balls about the size of marbles).
• Dust cut pieces with a bit of flour.
• Heat oil in a frying pan or deep fat fryer to a temperature of 375°F.
• Shake off excess flour, and fry the bits of dough (in small batches) until puffy and golden brown.
• DO NOT crowd the frying pan or fryer.
• Remove each batch of balls with a slotted spoon and place on heavy brown paper (or paper towels) to drain.
• Continue frying until all the balls have been fried.
• Place drained, fried balls into a large mixing bowl (or disposable roasting pan).
• Pour the honey into a large frying pan, and heat until bubbly, remove from heat.
• (Honey may be thinned with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water to make a less sticky/sweet coating).
• Stir in grated orange peel (if desired) and pour honey mixture over the fried dough balls.
• With a wooden spoon, gently stir and toss the balls until all are evenly coated with honey.
• Using hands (or a spoon), place honey coated balls on to a large plate (or pie tin), mounding them into a cone/pyramid shape.
• Sprinkle with colored sprinkles.
• NOTE: If struffoli are too sticky to handle while shaping, slightly wet hands with cold water to help keep them from sticking to your hands while shaping.

STRUFFOLI RECIPE AND HISTORY - TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HONEY BALLS

Steps:

• Let the butter soften 30 minutes into the oven turned off with the light on, then cut it into pieces and stir with a fork until smooth and inflated.
• After that, grate the lemon and orange to obtain zests.
• Now, crack the eggs and pour them into a bowl along with the sugar, the softened butter, the lemon and orange zests, 2 drops of Rum or Brandy, 1 drop of Anise flavor, and 1 pinch of salt.
• Finally, whisk until consistent.
• Add the flour, a little at a time into the butter and eggs mixture.
• Pouring the flour, pinch the dough with your fingers until the liquid will be absorbed by the flour, creating a sort of pastry crumbs.
• Now, compact and stretch out the crumbs until obtaining a consistent dough.
• Eventually, wrap the dough ant store into the lower part of the fridge at least 2 hours.
• Take a fistful of dough and roll it into a log 1/2 inch thick.
• Now, reduce the log into pieces 1/2 inch long. After that, pour the sesame oil into a pot and place over medium heat until reach 356° F (180° C).
• Eventually, fry the Struffoli a little at a time until golden, then place on paper towels to dry the oil in excess.
• Pour the honey into a nonstick pan, big enough to contain Struffoli.
• Place the pan over low heat and stir until fluid.
• Finally, place the pan far from the heat and add Struffoli and sweet decorations.
• It is possible to serve Struffoli just prepared, but the following days they will be even more delicious!

STRUFFOLI-HONEY BALLS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients and work it together until you have a smooth dough
• 2. Make a ball of the dough Refrig dough ½ hour. Will need extra flour for working dough Make a ball and cut into four pieces. Roll into ropes, cut and roll into small balls.
• 3. Drop into hot oil temperature 350 degrees, I use thermometer. Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. I use Canola Oil, but can use peanut or vegetable oil
• 4. Melt honey and sugar until it is thin. Be careful not to over cook. Just melt enough so that it is blended. Place drained struffoli in big bowl, pour honey mixture and toss to cover struffoli. Add topping and enjoy. Must warn they are very addictive. Enjoy