Zeppole Di San Giuseppe Recipe
User Reviews
5
Zeppole Di San Giuseppe Recipe
Description
The Zeppole are made by preparing a choux pastry dough where water, butter, salt, and sugar are boiled, then flour is vigorously mixed in and cooked until it forms a smooth, dry ball, removing excess moisture. After cooling slightly, eggs are beaten and gradually incorporated to create a piping-consistency dough. The dough is piped onto a parchment-lined tray and baked hot until puffed and lightly golden.
The pastries are traditionally filled with classic Italian pastry cream chilled in advance, giving a creamy contrast to the crisp exterior. Amarena cherries and powdered sugar complete the topping, adding sweetness and visual appeal to the delicate pastries. This dessert is linked to Italian celebrations and can be served fresh or chilled.
Proper technique in cooking the dough before egg addition is critical; undercooking results in flat, dense pastry. The dough should cool before adding eggs for better emulsion. Finished zeppole can be stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to one week when unfilled, but filled pastries should be consumed within a couple of days.
Ingredients
Choux Pastry Dough
- ½ cup butter 113g, cut into chunks, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 5g
- ¼ teaspoon salt a pinch of salt
- 1 cup water 240g
- 1 cup 00 flour 120gor all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg at room temperature
Italian Pastry Cream
- 1 recipe pastry cream classic Italian
Toppings
- Amarena cherry
- powdered sugar aka icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Italian Pastry Cream
- Make the pastry cream first and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Make the Choux Pastry Dough
- Preheat oven to 400℉—place rack in the center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Beat the room-temperature eggs in a medium bowl, cover with cling wrap or plastic wrap, and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the water and butter over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. After boiling for about 30 seconds, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the flour mixture in one addition and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Return the saucepan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until the mixture forms into a smooth ball and comes away from the sides of the pan (5 minutes total). This is KEY to letting some of the water evaporate- skipping this step yields to a runny dough.
- Transfer the choux dough mixture to a large mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the beaten eggs, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition with a wooden spoon, stand mixer paddle attachment or hand-held beaters. It may seem like the dough won't incorporate, but it does- keep mixing!
Shape and Bake the Dough
- Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. I like to place my pastry bag in a tall cup for easy filling.
- Pipe dough into 2" nests on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The dough resembles a donut's shape and size with a hole in the middle.
- Place in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Let the pastries cool for about 10 minutes in the oven.
- Remove the pastry shells from the oven and let them cool completely.
Assemble the Baked Zeppole
- Once cooled cut the baked zeppole in half with a serrated knife.
- Fill another pastry bag fitted with an open star tip with Italian pastry cream and pipe on one-half of the zeppole shells; you can also use a spoon for the pastry cream. Cover with the other half of the baked zeppole and pipe another tablespoon over the top, OR make a small hole and pipe pastry cream directly in the cavity; and top with more pastry cream. You can also leave the tops plain.
- Top the baked zeppole with amarena cherries and a dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar). Enjoy!
Notes
- Store unfilled zeppole in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Fill zeppole with pastry cream shortly before serving; consume filled pastries within a couple of days.
- Do not store raw choux pastry dough; prepare fresh before baking.
- Use room temperature ingredients for best results in dough preparation.
- Cooking the dough thoroughly in the pan until a smooth ball forms is essential to remove excess water and achieve proper pastry texture.
- Let the dough cool before adding eggs to ensure proper mixing and puffing during baking.
- After baking, cool zeppole in the oven with the door open to maintain texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 199 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 199kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 128mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 177mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 365IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 103mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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