Here are my baked St. Joseph’s zeppole. This is the traditional dessert to celebrate March 19. I present the baked variation of the classic fried ones — lighter and more delicate.
A soft choux pastry shaped like a ring filled with vanilla pastry cream and decorated with an amarena cherry. More delicious than that!
St. Joseph’s zeppole have very ancient origins, dating back to the Romans, and have become the pastry associated with Father’s Day. Follow the step-by-step recipe with photos to make beautiful and delicious baked St. Joseph’s zeppole, as good and as pretty as those from the pastry shop.
Also try these other delicious desserts:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Moderate
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 zeppole
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Baked St. Joseph’s Zeppole
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 8 amarena cherries in syrup
- as needed powdered sugar
Preparation of Baked St. Joseph’s Zeppole
Pour the water and the butter cut into pieces into a saucepan (1). Melt it over moderate heat (2) and, as soon as it begins to boil, add the flour all at once (3).
Mix the ingredients, stirring quickly with a spatula (4). When the mixture has thickened (5), continue cooking until it detaches from the sides of the pan and a white film forms on the bottom (6).
Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool slightly. In the meantime, beat the eggs, then add a little of them to the warm dough (7) and mix until incorporated. Now add a pinch of salt and add the remaining eggs, a little at a time (8), until you obtain a homogeneous and dense mixture (9). Place the choux pastry in a piping bag fitted with a 1.2 cm star tip.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe the zeppole, making two overlapping passes for each one to form a 4-inch circle (10). Bake the zeppole in a preheated fan oven at 401°F for 25 minutes on the lowest rack, until well browned (11). After this time, slightly open the oven door and continue baking for another 5 minutes so they dry out inside as well; then remove your zeppole from the oven (12) and let them cool.
Prepare the pastry cream
Pour the milk into a small saucepan (14), add the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean and the empty pod as well (14); bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the vanilla pod with tongs (15).
In another bowl, combine the egg yolks with the sugar (16) and whisk. Add the cornstarch (17) and continue whisking until you obtain a smooth mixture (18).
Pour the milk gradually over the egg mixture (19), a little at a time, always mixing with the whisk. Transfer everything back to the pan and cook over low heat (20). Stir continuously until the cream has thickened (21). Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, and let it cool.
Now you can fill your zeppole. Put the cream in a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and press gently in one spot on the zeppola to create an opening. Then pipe some cream inside (22). Repeat this operation on another side of the zeppola to fill them completely. Once filled, arrange the zeppole on a serving plate and decorate the center of each with a swirl of cream (23) and an amarena cherry in syrup (24). Finish the baked St. Joseph’s zeppole with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
Storage
Baked St. Joseph’s zeppole keep in the refrigerator, well covered in an airtight container, for 2 days. It is advisable to fill them with the pastry cream just before serving, so the choux pastry remains dry and fluffy.
The zeppole bases, however, can be prepared in advance and stored at room temperature for 1 day, well sealed in a container.
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FAQ
Can I prepare the zeppole of St. Joseph in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the choux bases the day before and store them in an airtight container. Fill them with the cream only at the moment of serving.
Can they be frozen?
Empty zeppole can: once baked and cooled they can be frozen for about 1 month. When needed, let them thaw at room temperature and heat them for a few minutes in the oven to restore crispness.
Why do the zeppole collapse after baking?
This happens if they are not baked long enough or if the oven door is opened too early. They must be well dried and golden before being removed from the oven.
Can I use a different cream instead of pastry cream?
Of course, you can also fill them with diplomatic cream (pastry cream and whipped cream) or with chocolate or coffee cream for an even more indulgent variation.
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