St. Joseph’s Day Zeppole baked or in the air fryer. They are delicious choux pastry treats, filled mainly with pastry cream, a few maraschino sour cherries in syrup and a cascade of powdered sugar.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are the symbol of Father’s Day: a choux pastry shell that encloses a silky pastry cream, garnished with the unmistakable maraschino sour cherry in syrup.
If you want to enjoy this traditional dessert without hot oil and lingering smells in the kitchen, the air fryer and the oven are perfect solutions. With these lighter versions you’ll get puffed, golden and crispy zeppole without giving up their irresistible softness.
I tried this “experiment” and I must say the result was surprising: they stay nice and puffy and airy, just like the classic ones.
The heart is an explosion of silky pastry cream, scented with fresh lemon zest, for a bite that literally melts in your mouth.
On Sunday I will have friends for lunch and, after this test, I think I’ll serve them at the end of the meal!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Conventional oven, Air fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Father's Day, All seasons
Ingredients
St. Joseph’s Day Zeppole baked or in the air fryer
- 1 cup water (250 g / 250 ml)
- 7 tbsp butter (100 g)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
- 4 eggs (large, or 3 if very large)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups whole milk (500 ml)
- 3 eggs (whole)
- 1/2 + 2 cup + tbsp granulated sugar (about 120 g)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 g) or cornstarch for a silkier texture
- 1 lemon (zest only, organic)
- as needed maraschino sour cherries in syrup
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- Air fryers
- Piping bags
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer
Steps
St. Joseph’s Day Zeppole baked or in the air fryer
First of all prepare the pastry cream because it will need to be very cold.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil with the whole lemon zest, being careful to use only the yellow part.
(I used lemon zest but a vanilla pod or a tablespoon of vanilla extract also works well).
In a separate small pot beat the eggs with the sugar. (whole eggs, both yolk and white).
Then add the flour and whisk to remove any lumps.
(If you prefer you can replace the flour with cornstarch).
Temper the mixture with a little milk poured in a thin stream, using a sieve to avoid letting the lemon peel into the cream. After adding all the milk, put it back on moderate heat.
Return to the heat and stirring constantly you will see the pastry cream thicken in a few seconds.
Turn off the heat and cover the pastry cream with cling film placed in direct contact with the surface.
Let it cool very well before using.In a saucepan pour the water and butter, add a pinch of salt and bring to the heat. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
As soon as little bubbles start forming on the bottom, add the flour all at once and stir.
Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes until it forms a single ball and the bottom of the pan becomes lighter in color.Then incorporate the eggs one at a time: add the first egg and mix to incorporate it. Once well blended, add the second.
(I used electric beaters because my arm hurts, to be honest).
But you can do it without beaters too.
Attention: if the eggs are large, stop at the third if you see the dough is already shiny and creamy.Put the dough into a piping bag and shape the zeppole on a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the air fryer basket or the oven tray.
In the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 356°F.
Place 2 or 3 zeppole at a time (on their parchment) in the basket, taking care they do not touch.
Cook at 356°F for 10 minutes. Do not open the basket during this stage!
Lower the temperature to 320°F and continue for another 5–7 minutes.
Once cooked, let them rest in the turned-off basket, slightly open, for 2–3 minutes to dry.
Preheat the fan oven to 392°F.
Bake the tray for 20 minutes.
Lower to 356°F and bake for another 5–10 minutes.
In the final minutes, place a wooden spoon in the oven door gap to let steam escape.Turn off and let cool with the oven slightly ajar.
When the zeppole are ready let them cool completely on a rack.
Then put the cooled pastry cream into a piping bag and fill the zeppole.
Finally garnish each with a maraschino sour cherry (or a candied cherry if you prefer) and dust with powdered sugar to taste.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips
If you bake them in the air fryer, make sure not to put too many together. The air must circulate strongly around each zeppola to make it “explode” and puff up correctly!
The most common mistake is adding the eggs too quickly.
Eggs should be at room temperature. If they are cold from the fridge, the dough will “settle”.
The “V” test: Add the last egg little by little. The dough is ready when, lifting the spatula, it falls slowly forming a “V” or a heavy ribbon. If the dough is too runny, the zeppole will bake flat like pancakes.
The air fryer is a super-powerful convection oven, so it needs a bit more attention:
Anchoring: Because the fan is very strong, parchment pieces might fly and cover the zeppola. “Stick” the four corners of the paper to the basket with a dab of raw dough.
The air must circulate under and around. If you place too many, they will remain damp at the base.
Never open the door: During the first 20 minutes, the door is “sacred”. If you open it, the thermal shock will collapse the choux pastry structure which has not yet solidified.
Venting: In the last 5 minutes, place a wooden spoon between the oven door and the frame. This allows steam to escape, leaving the zeppola dry and hollow inside.
A perfect zeppola must support the weight of the cream.
For zeppole you need a slightly firmer cream (use a bit more cornstarch).
Fill the zeppole only when they are completely cold.
If you fill them while still warm, the cream will melt and the choux pastry will become soggy.
Storage
Without cream: You can prepare the shells the day before and store them in an airtight container or a paper bag (like a bread bag) to keep them crisp.
With cream: Once filled, they should be eaten within a few hours or stored in the fridge. In the fridge the choux pastry tends to soften, so the ideal is to fill them “to order” shortly before serving.
Tips for other recipes
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