Ultra soft chocolate castagnole are a delightful alternative to classic castagnole. I love them: these small fried balls, crunchy on the outside and soft inside, in this version I added unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips, a true delight of taste and aromas. They are very fragrant, thanks to the vanilla, lemon zest, and orange zest, but especially the liqueur I used, LA STREGA, so aromatic and sweet as for the Beneventan pie and struffoli.
This recipe is extremely easy and quick to make; in fact, all you need is a bowl, a pan to fry them, and roll them in granulated sugar before tasting them. So, did I pique your curiosity? Let’s prepare them together, get your hands into it, you gourmands!
See you soon, Susy!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival
- Energy 200.14 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.04 (g) of which sugars 6.61 (g)
- Proteins 1.21 (g)
- Fat 17.43 (g) of which saturated 3.51 (g)of which unsaturated 12.67 (g)
- Fibers 0.41 (g)
- Sodium 4.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 13 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Ultra Soft Chocolate Castagnole
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs (medium size)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp Strega liqueur (or rum)
- Half lemon zest (grated)
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups peanut oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
Tools
- Bowl
- Steel pan
- Slotted spoon
Ultra Soft Chocolate Castagnole
I sift the flour, cocoa, and half a packet of baking powder into a bowl. With a spatula, I create a well in the center and add the eggs, sugar, liqueur, softened butter, and the aromas.
I mix all the ingredients until a dough forms, add the chocolate chips, and knead quickly. I wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. This rest is essential to make it more compact and elastic.
After the resting time in the refrigerator, I take the dough, take pieces of it, and roll them into balls weighing 12/13 g.I pour the peanut oil into the pan and heat it to a temperature of 338/347°F and start frying the chocolate castagnole, a few pieces at a time for about a couple of minutes. Then I drain them on a plate with absorbent paper and roll them in a little plate with sugar! I recommend tasting them right away, they are delicious.
I arrange the castagnole on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, well spaced apart. I bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 15 minutes, once cooked I sprinkle them with powdered sugar.
