Homemade Struffoli Recipe
User Reviews
5
Homemade Struffoli Recipe
Description
This Struffoli recipe begins by mixing flour with sugar, salt, and finely grated orange and lemon zest. Lard or butter is cut into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse grains. Eggs and anise liqueur are incorporated, with some water added if needed to form a soft dough. Kneading carefully develops gluten, producing a smooth and elastic texture. The dough rests at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax.
After resting, the dough is divided and rolled into thin ropes, which are cut into small pieces about the size of a pea. These pieces are deep-fried in batches until golden and crisp, then drained. The warm fried dough balls are coated in a syrup made from honey, sugar, and vanilla bean, which binds them into sticky clusters.
Sprinkles and candied fruit add color and texture to the sticky struffoli, which can be shaped into decorative rings or piled into mounds for serving. The contrast of the crispy exterior and chewy sticky surface with aromatic citrus and anise flavors defines this dessert.
Kneading and resting the dough are essential steps to achieve proper texture, and frying in small batches prevents the pieces from sticking together. The struffoli keep well for a couple of days and benefit from gentle reheating before serving to soften slightly.
Ingredients
For the Struffoli:
- 3 ½ cups 00 flour
- orange zest of 1
- lemon zest of 1
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt sea salt
- 6 tablespoons lard or unsalted butter
- 4 egg large
- 2 tablespoons anise liqueur
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water cold
- Sprinkles
- candied fruit or citron
For the Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean seeds extracted, pod
Instructions
- On a clean surface, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest until combined.
- Next, cut in the fat using a pastry blender or better yet your fingers, like in my S cookies recipe, to make sure it is mixed in with the dry ingredients and no bigger than the size of couscous.
- Form a well in the center for the flour.
- Add in the eggs and anise liqueur and whisk together using a fork in the well.
- Start to bring in the dry ingredients with the fork to combine.
- Using a bench knife or your hands, bring the ingredients together.
- You may need 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if it’s too dry or 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour if it's too wet.
- Knead the dough for at least 5 to 7 minutes, but 10 to 12 minutes is recommended.
- When finished, the dough should be smooth and soft. Transfer it to a bowl and cover it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface and divide the dough into 4 big pieces.
- Individually roll them out using your hands into long ropes about ½” thick.
- Then simply using a knife or a bench knife (Aff link), cut them into small pieces.
- Coat the dough balls in a little flour and mix.
- Fry the dough balls in batches in your favorite neutral-flavored oil heated to 350° for only 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned while occasionally stirring it to ensure all sides are brown.
- Set them to the side on paper towels to drain.
- In a large-size pot, over low heat together the honey, sugar, and vanilla beans while constantly stirring with a spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the fried dough balls to the honey and sugar mixture and coat by mixing with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Transfer to a plate and garnish with sprinkles and any citron you may want. Serve.
Notes
- The dough can be prepared up to one day in advance and kept covered at room temperature or refrigerated for up to three days.
- The dough requires thorough kneading for at least 5 minutes to develop gluten for elasticity.
- Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before shaping to avoid toughness.
- Fry the dough pieces in small batches to avoid clumping and ensure even frying.
- Coating the fried dough while the syrup is still warm helps the struffoli stick together.
- Shape the struffoli into rings or mounds as desired before the syrup sets.
- The finished struffoli are best slightly reheated to soften the texture before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 336 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 336kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 61g | 20% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 61mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 120mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 74mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 33g | 66% |
| Vitamin A | 79IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 16mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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