St. Joseph’s Zeppole are a staple in our homes for this occasion, and there’s not a year without me making them!
In Italy and in many other countries, Father’s Day is celebrated on March 19th, but in many other countries it’s celebrated in June or July.
We celebrate it on this date, in observance of the Catholic feast of St. Joseph on March 19th.
Yes, they are truly delicious, and quite caloric, but it’s okay to indulge every now and then!
They’re made for Father’s Day, but the real enthusiasts and happy ones are the children who devour them.
So, follow my step-by-step photo recipe and make baked St. Joseph’s Zeppole, and let me know how they turned out for you!!!
Approx. 100 Kcal per zeppola
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Portions: 28 zeppole
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Father's Day
Ingredients to make St. Joseph’s Zeppole
- 9 tbsp Butter
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Water
- 6 Eggs
- 1 pinch Salt
- 3 Egg yolks
- 2 cups Whole milk
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch (cornflour) Paneangeli
- 1 packet Vanillin Paneangeli
- 5 oz Hoplà cream or fresh cream
- 1/3 cup Powdered sugar
- 1.5 oz Dark chocolate
Preparing St. Joseph’s Zeppole
Preparing the Chantilly Cream
Take a saucepan and add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a little milk. Start cooking on low heat, stirring with a hand mixer; gradually add more milk until it’s all used, then add the cornstarch or flour and mix further.
Continue cooking, stirring with a wooden spoon, always in a clockwise direction.
The cream is ready when you see bubbles, and it starts to detach from the sides of the saucepan when stirred.
It should not be too liquid.
After cooking, let it cool and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using, stirring occasionally.
Before using this vanilla custard, add the cream and blend it well using a hand mixer.Preparing the Choux Pastry
In a pot, add the water, butter, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium flame until bubbles form, but do not boil.
Remove from heat and add the flour all at once, mix well, possibly with an electric whisk, until the mixture detaches from the sides.
Turn off the heat and let it cool.
Once cooled, add the eggs one by one, mixing each time to incorporate into the dough.
After all the eggs are added and well mixed, let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, using a large star nozzle pastry bag, form rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, moving from the center outward, finishing with an overlapping outer ring.
Bake in a preheated oven at 390°F for 15 minutes, then lower to 320°F and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes.
After baking all, remove from the oven and let cool.
Final Preparation
Using a medium star nozzle pastry bag, fill the zeppole with the Chantilly cream starting from the inside and working outward, then add dark chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar.
Place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
