Struffoli traditional and Bimby recipe.

They are a typical dessert from Campania. Made during Christmas and also at Carnival, they are a must for us… Close cousins of the Sicilian pignolata, with which they are often confused, but they are actually different both in shape and glazing. While struffoli are glazed with honey, pignolata is instead double glazed with chocolate or white lemon icing.

Today I present to you the recipe my grandmother used to make in her pastry shop in Messina.

To flavor this dessert, you can use either anise liqueur, Strega, or limoncello according to your taste.

You will find, in addition to the traditional and Bimby preparation, also indications for 3 types of cooking: oven, fried in pan, and air fryer.

Ingredients

For the dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsps limoncello (or anise liqueur or Strega liqueur)
1 pinch salt
as needed vegetable oil
1/2 cup wildflower honey
1 1/3 tbsps water
2 tbsps sugar
1/4 cup candied cherries
as needed colored sprinkles

The struffoli

Tools

What we need to make

1 Mixer electric
2 Bowls
1 Knife
1 Hand whisk
1 Pot

Steps

Struffoli traditional and Bimby recipe

In a bowl, using the electric mixer, mix the sugar with the eggs until a nice frothy mixture is obtained.
Add the sifted flour little by little, the cornstarch after a few minutes, add the pinch of salt, and keep mixing, initially use the pastry whisk then, when the dough becomes more compact, continue mixing with a wooden spoon.
Once a substantial dough is obtained, add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the limoncello, or other liqueur, and mix well by kneading with your hands until a smooth and homogeneous dough is obtained.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest, in the fridge, for about 1 hour.
Put the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, eggs, sugar, liqueur, and salt into the Bimby bowl, knead: 40 sec./speed 5. Transfer the dough to the work surface and compact it into a loaf. Let your dough rest, in the fridge, for about 1 hour.
Divide the dough into many small logs for convenience,
and then into small balls about 0.4 inches in size. Place them on a floured surface and complete the task.
In the oven:
Place a sheet of baking paper on the oven rack.
Place the balls on the rack with the baking paper and bake the struffoli in the preheated oven at 284°F for about 30 minutes
Turn the struffoli from time to time, and when they are nice and golden, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
With these doses, you will make 3 or 4 batches; the main recommendation is not to completely fill the basket. During cooking, they will swell, so there is a risk they will stick together; indeed, the air must circulate perfectly for even cooking, and you can stir them without crushing them during cooking
Then put vegetable oil in a nebulizer to spray it evenly. Spray a few puffs directly on the basket only for the first batch.
Place the struffoli on the basket and spray them with a few puffs of oil. Cook them at 392°F for 6 minutes, opening the basket a couple of times, spraying a few more puffs, and stirring or shaking the basket.
When they have reached the right golden color, they can be removed from the basket, and you can proceed with a second batch.
First of all, I recommend using a not too large saucepan, about 7 inches with high edges and half of the indicated oil for frying, so you can change the oil often to prevent it from darkening
Cook a few pieces at a time to prevent excessive foam, which you will remove with a slotted spoon as soon as it forms! Then immerse in hot oil, turn them a couple of times, and they will be ready in 30-40 seconds.
Struffoli are perfectly fried when they are golden, not dark or blackened.
In a saucepan, heat the honey with the water and sugar over low heat.
When the mixture has melted, immerse the struffoli in the pan and mix them.
Make sure they are as coated as possible with the honey and then place them on a serving plate.
Decorate your struffoli with candied fruits and sprinkles if desired, and serve them on the table.
Place the honey, water, and sugar in the Bimby bowl, heat: 7 min./212°F/speed 2 with the basket on top of the lid
Arrange the struffoli on a serving plate, glaze with liquid honey, and decorate with colored sprinkles.
Here are the Struffoli traditional and Bimby recipe ready