Baked and fried struffoli are the two different versions in which you can find this delicious dessert today, typical of Campanian cuisine during the Christmas season and traditionally fried.
However, it seems that struffoli were not invented in Naples but were imported either by the Greeks during the time of Magna Graecia, or by the Spanish during their long period of viceroyalty here.
As proof of this, today in both Greece and Spain, you can still find desserts very similar to struffoli.
In Greece, we find “loukoumades” (delicacies) which are nothing more than small balls of dough that, in the sweet version, are served drizzled with syrup, cinnamon, sesame, or crushed nuts.
In Andalusian cuisine, a very similar dessert is the “piñonate,” where the dough balls differ from Campanian struffoli only in being more elongated.
Struffoli appear as many small balls of dough held together by honey, with the addition of candied fruit and colorful sprinkles. The resulting dessert is usually shaped into a ring, cone, or as preferred, depending also on the specific customs of individual families that still carry on the tradition of preparing them.
They have a very choreographic and appealing appearance, and if you don’t want to opt for the classic fried version, the baked variant is now very popular, which certainly won’t lack in taste and beauty compared to the original.
I myself wouldn’t know which of the two types I prefer.
During festive occasions or dinners with friends in the Christmas period, dedicating some time and space to homemade struffoli will be a winning choice and certainly never predictable.
If you like my recipes, you can follow me on my FACEBOOK page and on INSTAGRAM
Thank you ❤️😘❤️
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs (large)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons anise liqueur (or limoncello)
- lemon zest (grated from one lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup honey (wildflower)
- 2/3 cup candied fruit (orange and citron)
- 1/4 cup candied cherry (red)
- as needed colored sugars (sprinkles)
- as needed vegetable oil (sunflower or peanut for frying)
Tools
- Lemon Grater
- Electric Whisks with dough hooks
- Pastry Board
- 1 Dough Scraper
- Baking Trays for oven
- 1 Small Pot 8 inches
- Slotted Spoon
- 1 Thermometer kitchen
Steps
To prepare baked and fried struffoli, start by melting the butter over very low heat and then let it cool.
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla, sifted baking powder, and grated lemon zest.
Then add the eggs, starting to mix with the electric whisks equipped with hooks for dense doughs or in the stand mixer.
Gradually pour in the melted butter, the liqueur, and the salt.
Once you have a firm and homogeneous dough ball, lightly flour it and let it rest for about half an hour, covered and at room temperature.
After the resting time, transfer the dough to the pastry board and with the scraper, cut off a piece of dough from the ball.
Form a thin rope, which will then be cut into small pieces.
Roll each piece between the palms of your hands to form many small balls (for the video click here).
Use very little flour, just enough to prevent them from sticking.
Place the dough balls on baking trays lined with parchment paper.
For the baked variant, put the tray in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the static oven.
Then turn on the grill only, and without moving the tray, leave them in the oven for a few more minutes until they are golden.
For the fried variant, heat abundant sunflower or peanut oil in a tall pot with a diameter of about 8 inches.
Preferably measure the oil temperature with a specific thermometer (ideal temperature 330 degrees Fahrenheit), or in any case, make sure it is ready for frying by dipping the end of a wooden spoon handle in it. When bubbles form around it, we can start frying our treats.
Fry a few struffoli at a time, keeping the flame moderate and turning them with a slotted spoon.
It will only take a few minutes, and they will be ready.
Remove from the oil with the slotted spoon and place them on a plate covered with absorbent paper.
For frying half of the amount of dough balls indicated in the recipe, there is no need to change the oil, but if you decide to fry the entire amount, it would be better to change it.
When all the struffoli are ready, prepare the honey.
In a large pot, melt all the specified amount of honey, stirring often.
Turn off the heat and add the candied fruits: citron, orange, and cherries cut in half.
Pour half over the baked struffoli placed in a bowl, add the sprinkles, and stir.
In the other half of honey and candied fruits, add the fried struffoli and stir after adding the sprinkles here too.
Arrange each type of struffoli on a different serving plate, shaping them into a cone before the honey hardens again.
Decorate as desired with more candied cherries and sprinkles.
The baked and fried struffoli are now ready.
Under a glass dome, at room temperature, for about a week.
Under a glass dome, at room temperature, for about a week.
Here is a selection of products very useful for making desserts. Many of these have been bought and tested by myself. To view the recommended products click here.
Here is a selection of products very useful for making desserts. Many of these have been bought and tested by myself. To view the recommended products click here.
