Zeppole with cream and strawberries are a fresh and tasty alternative to the classic zeppole of St. Joseph. With this recipe, you can’t go wrong.

I’ll reveal all the tricks to make fantastic zeppole cooked in an air fryer or oven, perfect for Father’s Day and to fill as you prefer! I used custard and strawberries (I don’t like sour cherries at my house).

A fresh, simple, and quick idea to prepare, based on the first fruits of the Father’s Day period.

And what do we find on the fruit stalls that everyone always loves? The beloved strawberries! That’s why I thought of using them as the main filling ingredient of this dessert!

Zeppole with cream and strawberries are certainly something different from the more traditional version we are used to bringing to the table on St. Joseph’s Day, but I assure you they are so good that everyone really loves them!

Moreover, they have the advantage of bringing with them a magnificent sense of lightness, mainly due to the freshness of the ingredients used.

The preparation of the zeppole is really very simple. The base of this dessert is the traditional zeppole of St. Joseph in the oven-baked version, or in an air fryer that, once cooled, are filled with a very delicate custard, sweetly vanilla-flavored, enriched with many pieces of strawberries.

If the strawberries are the very first ones you find and they seem not yet particularly tasty, you can help yourself with syruped strawberries, which will give much more flavor.

My advice is still not to miss the fresh ones, which aesthetically also give that extra touch that is irresistible!

Now it’s time to read these tips carefully, because below you will find suggestions for obtaining a perfect choux pastry.

Be careful with the cooking of the roux, that is water, butter, and flour, it must cook a few more minutes because if it doesn’t cook perfectly, you may end up with a failure.

The other important tip is to pay close attention to the oven cooking, as every oven is different from the other, so first of all, you need to preheat the oven and bring it to the described temperature before cooking them and then, if necessary, let the zeppole cook a few more minutes without problems.

Another very important step is when the mixture has become lukewarm, incorporate the eggs in this manner. Insert one egg at a time, do not add the others if the previous one has not been completely absorbed.
The dough is ready. The consistency should be smooth, consistent, like a dense and velvety custard.
The zeppole can be prepared a few days in advance, the important thing is to fill them only at the moment, so the choux pastry does not absorb all the moisture of the cream.

The number of zeppole you get depends on the number of rounds you make with the choux pastry.
Zeppole, in one way or another, please everyone, both adults and children.
A traditional dessert with which today’s meal is concluded. You can’t understand how delicious they are.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Inexpensive
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 8 Pieces
Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Air Fryer
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: St. Joseph, All Seasons

Ingredients

Zeppole with Cream and Strawberries

1 cup water
3.5 oz butter
4 eggs (medium, if large use 3)
1.2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs (medium)
4.2 oz sugar
2.1 oz all-purpose flour (or cornstarch)
1 lemon
9 oz strawberries
to taste powdered sugar

Tools

Air Fryers
Electric Whisks
Saucepan
Piping Bags

Steps

Zeppole with Cream and Strawberries

First, let’s prepare the custard because we need it well chilled.
So, pour the milk into a saucepan, then bring it to a boil with the whole lemon peel, be careful to extract only the yellow part.
(I used lemon peel but a vanilla bean or a tablespoon of vanilla extract is fine too).
In a separate saucepan, work the eggs with the sugar. (Whole eggs both yolk and white).
Then add the flour, mix with the whisk to remove any lumps.
(If you want, you can replace the flour with cornstarch).

Temper the mixture with a little milk poured in a thin stream, being careful to avoid the lemon peel falling into the cream by using a sieve, after adding all the milk put it back on the moderate heat.
Put it back on the heat and while continuously stirring, you will see the custard thicken in seconds.
Turn off the heat and cover the quick custard with cling film placed in contact.
Before using it, let it cool very well.
In a pot, pour water and butter, add a pinch of salt and bring to the heat. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
As soon as bubbles start forming at the bottom, add the flour all at once and stir.
Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes, until a sort of single ball forms, and the bottom of the pot becomes lighter.
Then, incorporate the eggs, one at a time: add the first egg and mix to incorporate it. Once well blended, add the second one.
(I helped myself with the electric whisks, I’m honest because I have a sore arm).
But it can also be done without whisks.
Transfer the dough into a piping bag equipped with a large star nozzle, preferably a nozzle 1cm wide with 6 points, and form rings on a tray lined with baking paper or greased.
Baking in the oven
A double layer of dough will be needed. Bake at 356°F in a convection oven for 30-45 minutes (time depends on the type of oven)
Anyway, check from time to time without opening the oven.
Cooking in the air fryer
Insert the basket into the air fryer and cook in two stages: first at 356°F for 10 minutes, then at 392°F for another 10 minutes.
(Obviously, check as each air fryer has its own timing).
And here are our beautiful St. Joseph’s zeppole ready to fill as you like!
Now take your zeppole and cut them in half.
It’s time to fill the zeppole with the cream, which you will have always added inside a piping bag with a star tip to give an even more beautiful appearance to your St. Joseph’s zeppole.
After creating a layer of cream, just add some fresh strawberries cut into pieces.
Now overlay the other half of the zeppole and create a decoration with a little tuft of cream.
It’s only left to finish the decoration by adding a slice of strawberry.
You will give a more intense touch of color to your desserts.
Just sprinkle with powdered sugar and your baked zeppole are ready to be served.
If you let them rest for a few hours, even better for a whole day, they will be even tastier and harmonious.
Enjoy your meal.

Tips

Oven-baked St. Joseph’s Zeppole can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days, better in an airtight container. With the cream filling, they tend to soften, so I can advise filling them at the last moment.

You can also prepare the oven-baked zeppole and fill them at a later time. In this case, they are stored in a food plastic bag, at room temperature, for 1 week, like cream puffs.

They can also be frozen, obviously without filling

If you liked this recipe, click on many stars, thank you very much.

I invite you to become a fan of my Facebook page to always be updated on my new recipes and stay in touch with me.

I’m waiting for you in my group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/488624465780860

or on my page: https://www.facebook.com/gustoamoreefantasie

Return to Home page