Lemon and Limoncello Castagnole are classic fried Carnival treats, golden balls sprinkled with plenty of granulated sugar to be saved along with all the other Carnival sweets!
These small balls are made with a simple dough of flour, eggs, butter, and are scented with lemon zest and limoncello, presenting a crunchy texture and a golden color, while their inside remains soft.
You can serve them simply with sugar or garnish with dark chocolate, Nutella, or pistachio cream; they are so delicious that one leads to another.
For a frosted effect, you can lightly moisten them in liqueur (limoncello or alchermes) and then roll them in granulated sugar.
Now let’s see how to prepare them, you’ll find the video recipe after the photo!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Frying, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
Ingredients for Lemon and Limoncello Castagnole
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg (large or 2 small)
- 3 tbsps butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 2 tbsps limoncello
- 1 tsp baking powder
- as needed peanut oil (for frying)
- as needed granulated sugar (for finishing)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pot
- 1 Stovetop
- 1 Skimmer
- 1 air fryer
Steps for Lemon and Limoncello Castagnole
For a successful Castagnole, it is important to carry out the frying well, the oil MUST NOT be too hot, otherwise they will burn on the outside and remain raw inside. I also recommend making small balls, as they puff up during frying.
Let’s prepare the dough!
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, add the softened butter, lemon zest, limoncello, and then gradually the sifted flour and baking powder.
Mix well in the bowl, then turn out onto a work surface and continue kneading the dough until you have a smooth consistency.
Form a nice loaf, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
After resting, take pieces of dough, then form pasta cylinders, cut them into not-too-large pieces, and roll them into balls with your hands. Work the balls well so they are smooth and without cracks to prevent them from opening during cooking. As they are ready, place them on a baking sheet covered with floured parchment paper.
Let’s move on to cooking, pour peanut oil into a not-too-large pot with high sides, heat the oil to a temperature of 338-347°F, if you have a thermometer even better, adjust by eye for cooking.
Immerse 5-6 castagnole, they should color slowly so that they are golden on the outside and cooked on the inside, stir well for even cooking. Once golden, drain with a skimmer onto absorbent paper and roll them while still warm in granulated sugar and serve!
Also excellent covered in chocolate.
Storage, tips, and variations
The castagnole can be stored for a few days in a container to retain their crunchiness.
They can be flavored as desired with orange, vanilla, anise, and other liqueurs.
They can also be baked in the oven, but obviously, the result will not be the same: the dough will be much drier.
For oven baking, bake at 338-356°F for about 15-20 minutes.
NOTES
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I cook castagnole in an air fryer?
Yes, of course, it’s not a real fry, but a cooking method similar to the oven, I made them for my husband, light but delicious.
Place them on parchment paper, if you prefer, you can oil it first, but I did not.
Cook the castagnole in a preheated air fryer at 356°F for about 8-10 minutes, turn them during cooking, and check if they are well cooked, otherwise increase the cooking minutes, which vary based on your appliance’s power.
