Best Strufoli I Recipes

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• For the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together 2 cups of flour, lemon zest, orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the eggs, wine, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture forms into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 4 equal-sized pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough until 1/4-inch thick. Cut each piece of dough into 1/2-inch wide strips. Cut each strip of pastry into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small ball about the size of a hazelnut. Lightly dredge the dough balls in flour, shaking off any excess. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.). In batches, fry the dough until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. (The rested and quartered dough can also be rolled on a floured work surface into 1/2-inch thick logs and cut into equal-sized 1/2-inch pieces. The dough pieces can then be rolled into small balls and fried as above).
• In a large saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the fried dough and hazelnuts and stir until coated in the honey mixture. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for 2 minutes.
• Spray the outside of a small, straight-sided water glass with vegetable oil cooking spray and place in the center of a round platter. Using a large spoon or damp hands, arrange the struffoli and hazelnuts around the glass to form a wreath shape. Drizzle any remaining honey mixture over the struffoli. Allow to set for 2 hours (can be made 1 day in advance). Decorate with sprinkles and dust with powdered sugar, if using. Remove the glass from the center of the platter and serve.

STRUFOLI I

Steps:

• Place eggs in bowl and beat until they have tripled in volume. Add flour gradually until well blended (do not use all the flour). The dough should remain slightly sticky.
• Transfer to floured board. Cut off a piece at a time. Using a little flour, if needed, roll between your hands to form pencil shapes.
• Cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Place each on floured cloth. In a large pan on top of the stove, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep-fry pieces about 1/2 cup at a time, turning constantly until golden. Drain and set aside. (Note: after several batches, dough begins to turn brown quickly. This means it is time to change the oil)
• In large pan, bring honey to boil with vanilla bean. Discard bean. Place deep-fried pieces into hot honey and toss until all are coated. Cool and stir in chocolate, nuts, and multi-colored jimmies. Place on plate, shaping firmly into tall cone. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

EASY STRUFFOLI RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, lemon and orange zest, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
• In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients with butter. Blend until all the lumps of butter are almost gone. The mixture should resemble a coarse meal.
• Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend until the dough becomes something that resembles a big ball.
• Cover the dough with a saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Next, roll the dough into thick cords of about a quarter of inch thick. Cut the dough into portions of about half an inch and roll each into small balls. Each dough ball should be about the size of a regular hazelnut.
• Lightly dust the dough balls with flour. Make sure to cover every one but make sure not to put too much flour.
• In a saucepan, put some oil over medium heat. Keep track of the temperature using a thermometer. Heat it up until it reaches 375° Fahrenheit.
• Fry the dough balls in batches. It should take around two to three minutes per batch. Dough balls should be a light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, line a serving plate with paper towels.
• Once the dough balls are done, place them on the plate and let the paper towels absorb the excess oil.
• Combine honey, lemon juice, rum (or brandy), and sugar in a saucepan. Cook the mixture under medium heat.
• Continuously stir the honey mixture with a spatula, and cook until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Once it's done, turn off the heat and add the fried dough balls carefully into the mixture. Stir the mixture carefully, making sure not to damage the dough.
• Once all the dough balls are covered with the honey mixture, transfer them to a serving plate. Set the remaining mixture aside.
• Meanwhile, arrange the dough balls around the serving platter, leaving a hole at the center. You may place a glass in the middle so that you can estimate the hole you are creating. You can also simply make a mound of dough balls at the center, if you want an easier assembly.
• After you've assembled the dough balls on the serving plate, carefully pour some of the remaining honey mixture on top. Put as much as you prefer.
• Next, cover the dough balls immediately with sprinkles, confectioner's sugar, or any other edible decorations on top.
• Serve immediately!

STRUFFOLI | ITALIAN HONEY BALLS RECIPE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a double boiler and let it cool. In a large bowl, mix together the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
• Add sugar, melted butter, the liquor, eggs and the orange zest. Mix the ingredients with the help of a wooden spoon.
• Continue to knead with your hands, until you get a homogeneous dough, free of lumps. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• After the resting time, cut the dough into equal parts. With your flat hands, roll each piece on the work surface as if to make a cylinder about 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) thick.
• Slice the roll of dough with the help of a small knife into many pieces of 1 cm (1/2 inch) in size. You can leave your Sruffoli in small pieces or give them the shape of balls by rolling them between the palms of your hands.
• Fry Struffoli few at a time turning them a couple of times. In 30-40 seconds they will be ready. Drain them with a skimmer and place on a serving dish, covered with absorbent kitchen paper.
• In a saucepan that can contain all the struffoli, pour almost all the honey and some rainbow sprinkles. Heat over very low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. This step is to make the honey more liquid and more malleable.
• Turn off the heat and add the struffoli. Add one more tablespoon of sprinkles and mix all together. When all the Struffoli are wrapped in honey and sprinkles, immediately transfer them, still hot, to a serving dish.
• Give them the shape you prefer, for example the classic pyramid or the classic donut shape that resembles a Christmas wreath!

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Beat eggs, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; stir in baking powder. Slowly stir flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into egg mixture until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into small balls.
• Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) or until you see little waves on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Working in small batches, fry dough balls in the hot oil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer struffoli to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
• Heat honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly mix 1/2 cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, into honey until sugar is melted and glaze is smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer struffoli to a large bowl and pour glaze over the top; toss quickly to evenly coat before glaze hardens.
• Form struffoli into a tower-shape or Christmas tree-shape on a serving plate. Sprinkle nonpareils sprinkles over the struffoli.