The chocolate chip fritters are a real temptation, perfect for those who love fried desserts! In addition to frappe, castagnole, and schiacciata fiorentina, there is a wide variety of Carnival desserts that everyone can agree on. Even the most gluttonous will not be able to resist these soft little zeppoles with chocolate chips, made with a ricotta-based dough – already tested in ricotta castagnole – which makes them particularly soft and fragrant even for several days. Making these chocolate chip bombs is very easy and quite fast: they are in fact spoon fritters that do not need rising time (they use baking powder instead of yeast). You just have to mix the ingredients with a spoon and then dip small portions of dough into hot oil. The chocolate chips will melt slightly with the heat, giving the dessert a unique taste. One leads to another, and in no time the chocolate chip fritters will disappear from the tray… the real problem will be stopping!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Carnival
- Energy 194.12 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.88 (g) of which sugars 13.87 (g)
- Proteins 6.32 (g)
- Fat 6.34 (g) of which saturated 2.48 (g)of which unsaturated 2.24 (g)
- Fibers 0.41 (g)
- Sodium 86.91 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 60 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 about 40 fried chocolate chip bombs
If you are celiac, you can make these gluten-free fritters by replacing all-purpose flour with an equal weight of superfine rice flour, or a gluten-free flour mix. Remember that the following ingredients must be labeled “gluten-free”: rice flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, powdered sugar.
- 160 g ricotta (cow or sheep milk)
- 80 g sugar
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 150 g all-purpose flour (or superfine gluten-free rice flour)
- 8 g baking powder (half a packet)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons rum (or other liquor of choice)
- 50 g chocolate chips
- to taste peanut oil (for frying)
- to taste powdered sugar (for garnish)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Pan high sides
- 1 Tongs for frying
- Absorbent paper
How to make chocolate chip fritters with ricotta dough
To make the chocolate chip fritters, you’ll only need a wooden spoon or a regular spoon, no electric beaters required. Start by placing the ricotta, a pinch of salt, and sugar in a bowl (1). Mix vigorously with the spoon until you get a creamy mixture (2). Then add the first egg (3).
Mix carefully and once the first egg is incorporated, add the second one (4). Continue to mix until it is perfectly combined. Then add the rum (5). If you prefer to avoid rum or other alcohol, you can substitute two tablespoons of milk. However, keep in mind that during frying, the alcohol – present in a minimal quantity and distributed throughout the batter – completely evaporates, so the dessert is also suitable for children. Sift the flour mixed with the baking powder into the bowl (6).
Mix carefully until you get a homogeneous and fairly dense mixture that sticks to the spoon (7). Add the chocolate chips and distribute them throughout the dough (8). In a pan with high sides or in a deep fryer, heat plenty of peanut oil; if you have a kitchen thermometer, check that the oil temperature reaches 340°F, then using two spoons, slide about half a spoonful of dough into the oil at a time (9).
Do not make the fritters too large, or it will be difficult to cook them well inside before they become too colored on the surface; also consider that it is advisable to fry a few pieces at a time, so as not to lower the oil temperature too much. Cook the fritters for a couple of minutes, turning them from time to time (10), until they are puffed and golden. Then drain them with frying tongs (11) or with a skimmer and let them dry on a sheet of kitchen paper. Finally, sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar (12).
Serve the chocolate chip fritters freshly made, to best appreciate their softness and fragrance.
Storage
These fritters remain soft even the next day; keep them at room temperature, covered with a dessert net.
Tips and Variations
I prepared these gluten-free fritters using either superfine rice flour or the Nutrifree cake mix. The fritters come out well in either case, but if you use rice flour, a crunchier crust will form on the outside, while the inside will remain soft. If you use a cake mix instead, the fritters will be soft even on the outside.
