Custard cream fritters are delicious choux pastry treats, fried and filled with a luscious custard cream; typical of Carnival, they can be prepared at any time of the year.
The dough is very simple to make, the recipe I propose is fantastic, I’ve been making it for many years, and it never disappoints, every time I get delicious little fritters that don’t absorb oil, crunchy on the outside and hollow on the inside, perfect to hold any filling you prefer.
The frying is the most important and delicate step. You can fry the fritters in lard, olive oil, or peanut oil (or other seed oils), but it’s important to cook them at a low temperature around 330/338°F to evaporate the liquids present in the dough and make them dry. High-temperature cooking will compromise the result, making them dark on the outside and raw inside.
The base I use is always the same, once you find the perfect recipe you never abandon it, over the years I have made them in various versions, with zabaione cream and with pistachio cream, each more delicious than the last! Try them all, you won’t regret it.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 55 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 4 eggs (medium, about 200/210 g)
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- to taste lemon zest (grated, from one natural lemon)
- 17 oz peanut oil
- 17 oz custard cream
- to taste vanilla powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Skimmer
- Absorbent paper
- 1 Thermometer
Procedure
First, prepare the custard cream, you can follow my recipe found HERE or use your own custard cream. Place it in a dish with plastic wrap in contact and put it in the fridge to cool.
How to prepare the dough for custard cream fritters
Put a small pot on the stove with water, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt; as soon as the liquids come to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring quickly with a spoon to prevent lumps.
Place the pot back on the stove, lower the heat, and cook the mixture (known as polentino in pastry) until it pulls away from the sides, creating a thin white film on the bottom of the pan.
Turn off the heat and transfer it to a bowl to cool.
Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, proceed with the next only when the previously added egg is completely incorporated.
You should obtain a creamy and smooth batter, it should not be liquid. Add the lemon zest and mix, the choux pastry is ready.
Pour the oil into a thick-bottomed pan and heat it to 330/338°F.
Take a small amount of dough (a small teaspoon) and, using another spoon, place it into the hot oil. You’ll notice that, in a short time, they will triple in volume.
Fry a few fritters at a time, moving them often with the skimmer so they are golden on all sides.
When they are ready, drain them and place them on a plate lined with absorbent paper.
Let them cool and fill them with custard cream, place them on a tray and dust with plenty of powdered sugar.
The custard cream fritters are ready!
Tips
Storage
The custard cream fritters can be stored in the refrigerator for 2/3 days, before serving them, leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes so they are not cold.
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