I have always loved this time of year, the days leading up to and culminating on March 19th. And do you know why? Because, for a sweet tooth like me, it’s the time to prepare and enjoy St. Joseph’s Zeppole, and what makes St. Joseph’s Day special is my boyfriend’s name day. I’ve always liked zeppole and over the years, I’ve tried making them at home instead of buying them. It took several attempts, but in the end, I managed to perfect the recipe.
St. Joseph’s Zeppole are an Italian tradition, but each region has its own recipe, which can vary even within the same region. Here in Teramo, we make them as large cream puffs filled with pastry cream, but if you move a bit, for example, to L’Aquila, the zeppole are leavened doughnuts, fried and sprinkled with sugar.
Try also:
Tiramisu Zeppole
St. Joseph’s Zeppole in Air Fryer
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 20 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
Ingredients
- 7 Eggs
- 1.75 cups Flour
- 5.3 oz Butter
- 1.5 cups Water
- 1 pinch Salt
- as needed pastry cream
- as needed Powdered sugar
- as needed Whipping cream
- as needed Candied cherries
Tools
- Piping Bag
- Hand Whisk
Preparation
To make the zeppole, melt the butter in a double boiler, then pour it into a pot, add the water and a pinch of salt. Place over low heat and bring to a boil.
Add the flour and mix everything until the dough detaches from the sides of the pot. Transfer the dough into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
Add the eggs, one at a time until the previous one is absorbed, and blend until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.
Put the dough in a pastry bag and, on a lightly buttered baking sheet, shape the zeppole into rings (making 3 or 4 circles).
Preheat the oven to 482°F, bake and lower to 356°F, cook for 15-20 minutes. Then lower to 248°F and cook for another 20 minutes, without opening the oven door.
Once baking is complete, leave the zeppole in the turned-off oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes, then remove and let them cool completely.
Once the zeppole are baked and cooled, cut them in half and fill them with cream. Dust with powdered sugar and decorate the top with whipped cream and candied cherries (as in the photo). Enjoy!
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