Today we prepare Grandma’s Struffoli Recipe, a delicious dessert that is usually never missing from our table at Christmas and Carnival. This delicious dessert is made in many regions of southern Italy, each calling it by a different name: Cicerchiata, Pignolata, Castagnole, Purcedduzzi, Giggeri, Pignolata al Miele. Struffoli are among the most famous desserts of Neapolitan pastry, even though the inventors of such ancient delicacy seem to have been the Greeks. The name of the dessert would derive from the word “strongoulus” meaning “round”, but aside from their history, Struffoli are truly irresistible.
Many delicious balls that are fried, then filled with honey and covered with small colorful sprinkles and possibly candied fruit. They take some time to make but are easy to prepare and can even be made in advance; in fact, they remain perfect for several days, but the glazing with honey should be done at the moment. This is the recipe my grandmother used to make, and she didn’t add sugar to the dough. A very old and simple recipe that we still make in the family. If you have never prepared this delicious dessert, I really recommend you try it.
I leave you with some traditional Sardinian recipes that my grandmother used to cook on festive days
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 / 10
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Grandma’s Struffoli Recipe
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 orange (grated zest)
- 4 tbsp butter (melted)
- as needed peanut oil (For frying)
- 1 pinch salt
- 10 oz wildflower honey
- 3.5 oz powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- as needed colored sprinkles
- as needed candied fruit ("optional")
Tools for Struffoli
- Large Mixing Bowl spacious
- Grater
- Plastic Wrap
- Knife
- Frying Pan
- Slotted Spoon
- Paper Towels
- Saucepan
Preparation of Grandma’s Struffoli
Let’s start by melting the butter and letting it cool, as it will be needed later. In the meantime, in a large mixing bowl, place the sifted flour with the grated orange zest.
Add the eggs, but start with three, and as you work the dough, decide whether to add more. Knead the ingredients with a wooden spoon, and when the dough starts to become compact, work it with your hands. Add the 4th egg only if the dough is not mixing well (beat the egg in a bowl and add only the amount needed for the dough). This is due to the specific weight of each egg; I find this step important, and everyone will need to adjust at the time of preparation. Finally, the dough should be free of lumps, homogeneous, and not sticky.
Once ready, let it rest at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap for about 30 minutes. After the resting time, cut a piece of dough and roll it into a cylinder on the work surface, not too large.
With a knife, cut many small pieces of dough. To give them a more rounded shape, I rolled each piece of dough between my hands, but this step can be skipped if desired.
Prepare a saucepan for frying with peanut oil; for excellent frying, it should be not too large and have high sides.
Fry a few balls at a time in hot oil, turning them once or twice. Remove them with a slotted spoon as soon as they become golden.
Place them on paper towels to remove excess oil; if you need to fry a lot, be sure to change the oil for quality frying.
To glaze the Struffoli
Take a saucepan and pour in the honey and powdered sugar with the two tablespoons of water. Melt the mixture over low heat, and once melted, remove from heat and add the struffoli.
Stir with a wooden spoon to ensure each ball is well coated with honey, and in the meantime, add a few colorful sprinkles.
While still warm, place them on a serving dish and shape them as desired. You can also make individual portions.
This step must be done while the struffoli are still warm and with damp hands, otherwise the honey mixture will solidify, making it impossible to continue. Finish decorating with colorful sprinkles; now our dessert is ready to be served. Enjoy your treat!
Storage and Recipe Variations
If you want slightly softer struffoli, just add a level teaspoon of baking powder to the dough, I can assure you they are delicious. For a good fry, the balls should not become too dark. Those who wish can also add candied fruit. Struffoli can be stored for several days under a glass dome or in a cookie container, but without being glazed. If you prefer to avoid butter, you can use 80 ml of sunflower oil as an alternative.
You might also be interested in the recipe for ORIGLIETTE WITH HONEY typical Sardinian sweet.
