Carnival Castagnole: Perfect Recipe with and without Thermomix: The castagnole are one of the Carnival desserts most loved, perfect for both adults and children – and especially for me, who can’t wait to taste them while preparing!
These delicious fritters, soft, crumbly and fragrant, covered with sugar, are made with very little effort. Perhaps it is this simplicity that makes them even more irresistible!
With the Thermomix, the dough is prepared in a few minutes, but I will also explain the traditional version to make them without a kitchen robot and in the traditional way.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 30 Days
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, Winter, Spring
Ingredients
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tbsp butter (soft)
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp limoncello
- 2 tbsp marsala wine
- 1 packet vanilla
- 1 tbsp baking powder (for desserts)
- 3/4 cup sugar (plus more for rolling afterwards)
- 1 lemon zest (grated)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 quart peanut oil
Steps
Obviously, the Thermomix version is more practical and faster, and the dough comes out smooth and without lumps.
With the Thermomix:
1. Put the sugar and lemon peel in the bowl and pulverize for 10 seconds at speed 10.
2. Bring the mixture to the bottom with the spatula and add soft butter, eggs, milk, limoncello, and Marsala. Mix for 10 seconds at speed 6.
3. Add the flours, vanilla, and baking powder. Knead for 2 minutes at KNEAD speed.
If necessary, mix also with the spatula and knead again in KNEAD mode until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
4. Transfer the dough into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. This way, the batter settles to be more compact.
5. Heat the oil in a large pot. With a teaspoon, take small portions of dough and drop them into the hot deep oil.
6. Fry everything until golden, then drain on paper towels.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or roll them in sugar, even brown sugar if you like, while still warm, and serve immediately!Without Thermomix:
1. In a large bowl, mix the sugar with the grated lemon peel.
2. Add the soft butter, eggs, milk, limoncello, and Marsala. Work with a whisk until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
3. Combine the sifted flours, vanilla, and baking powder. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer until a soft and smooth dough is obtained.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a pot and, with a teaspoon, take small portions of dough, letting them slide into the hot oil.
6. Fry everything until the castagnole are golden, then drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or roll them again in sugar, even brown sugar, they are delicious and enjoy one at a time!
The castagnole are excellent to enjoy freshly made, but can be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
For a lighter variant, try baking them in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.
For a richer taste, you can add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough.
If you don’t have Marsala, it can be replaced with rum or orange liqueur.
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Now it’s your turn! Have you ever tried making castagnole at home? Write it in the comments and share your experience! Happy Carnival!
Carnival Castagnole: Perfect Recipe with and without Thermomix
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I make castagnole without liqueurs?
Yes, you can replace limoncello and Marsala with orange juice or milk.
Can they be baked in the oven?
Yes, they can be baked in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, brushing them with a little milk for perfect browning.
Why are my castagnole hard?
It could be due to overworking the dough or frying with oil too hot. Keep the oil at 340-350°F.
