Saint Joseph’s Zeppole: my light version with Mandarin & Little Strawberries
I know, this year I’m a little late, but the urge to roll up my sleeves and put on the apron was stronger than any delay! Finally here are my Saint Joseph’s Zeppole, born from a meeting between tradition and experimentation.
As a proud Catanese, I know well that for us tradition means fried rice sfinci with honey (or the Syracusan crespelle), but this time I wanted to travel towards Naples, choosing classic choux pastry, reinterpreting it in my own way.
Why is this recipe special?
Of course, the baked cooking method gives a light, dry and crisp result, just like in a pastry shop, but without the heaviness of frying. And if that wasn’t enough, I chose to lighten the preparation further with a vegan mandarin & turmeric cream that doesn’t compromise the final flavor! It’s a variation of my usual lemon cream — highly aromatic, with a vibrant color thanks to turmeric and free of animal derivatives. Finally the finishing touch: no more sour cherries! I chose the freshness of the first seasonal strawberries, all garnished with dollops of whipped cream and mandarin zest.
The beauty of this recipe? Once you’ve learned choux pastry, you can use it all year for chocolate éclairs or spectacular profiteroles! Try it and see!
And you — are you team rice tradition or team choux cloud?
Other variations you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Moderate
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 28/30 zeppole
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
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- 2/3 cup water
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 Eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 7 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 zest of 1 mandarin (untreated (or lemon))
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2/3 cup strawberries
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- as needed mandarin zest (untreated (or lemon))
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
Preparation
In a large saucepan pour the water, add the butter cut into cubes and a pinch of salt.
Over medium heat, melt the butter completely, stirring with a wooden spoon until it comes to a boil.
Then add the flour all at once in a shower and mix well for a few minutes.
Gradually you’ll notice that the dough changes consistency; keep stirring until it forms a ball and the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.
At this point, turn off the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, mixing well before adding the next.
Once all 4 eggs have been added, you will obtain a smooth, homogeneous batter similar to a cream.
Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the zeppole onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, forming a double ring.
Continue until the dough is finished. Bake in a fan (convection) oven at 392°F for 15 minutes, then lower to 374°F for another 10 minutes. You will notice the zeppole puffing up as they bake. At the end of baking, leave them to rest in the switched-off oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes. You can prop the oven door with a wooden spoon — this helps to dry the zeppole well. Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature.
Fill the zeppole with vegan lemon cream or, if you prefer, the classic pastry cream. Finally garnish with whipped cream to taste, mandarin or lemon zest, diced strawberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
And voilà… the Saint Joseph’s zeppole made with choux pastry are ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy — from La Cucina di Fefè!
Storage
👉 You can store unfilled choux zeppole at room temperature in an airtight container for several days. They will remain as crisp and fresh as the first day and will be ready to be filled or decorated.
Tips, notes, variations and suggestions
🔵Tip: my suggestion is to prepare the zeppole the day before so they have time to cool to room temperature and soften. In fact, when first removed from the oven they may seem a bit hard and very crisp — this is completely normal. Once cooled and stored for a few hours in an airtight container, they will soften and be ready to fill.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Is it possible to make a fully vegan version?
Certainly — just replace traditional butter with vegetable margarine and the eggs with corn flour and a few other tricks.
Ingredients:
250 g water
50 g vegetable margarine
150 g flour
30 g cornstarch
10 g baking powder
200 g plant-based milk
1 pinch of salt
Procedure: bring the water to a boil with the vegetable margarine and a pinch of salt; add the flour (except 30 g) and the cornstarch and, stirring constantly, cook until the dough detaches from the sides. Remove from the heat and beat vigorously until the mixture cools slightly. When the dough is lukewarm, gradually add the plant-based milk until you obtain a homogeneous mixture, then add the baking powder mixed with the reserved flour and work with a mixer or by hand for at least 45 minutes (otherwise they won’t puff up). Preheat the oven to 338°F. Prepare a piping bag with a star tip and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once the mixer has finished working, shape the zeppole and bake for about 30 minutes.
