Struffoli Recipe
This Neapolitan struffoli recipe yields tiny, citrus-scented dough pillows fried until golden and tossed in warm, bubbling honey with candied fruit and sprinkles for a festive Italian dessert.
Equipment
- Stand mixer (or your hands)
- Rolling Pin
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Zester or Grater
- Dry tea towel for resting the dough
- Baking Tray for the dough
- Large plate for cooling
- Parchment Paper
- Medium saucepan
- Skimming ladle for frying
- Paper towels
- Large frying pan
- Spatula suitable for frying
- Serving platter or Cupcake holders
Ingredients
- 230 grams All-purpose flour 8 oz
- 2 tbsp White sugar
- 2 Organic eggs
- 2 tbsp Limoncello Preferably homemade
- 2 tbsp Peanut oil Plus extra for frying
- 1 Lemon medium sized
- 1 Orange medium sized
- Pinch of salt
- 150 grams Honey 5,29 oz
- Candied fruit orange and lemon
- Sprinkles Optional
Instructions
To Make the struffoli dough
- Place 230 grams flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Keep the ingredients together in the bowl for mixing.
- Add zest from half the lemon and half the orange, followed by 2 tablespoons limoncello, 2 tablespoons peanut oil, and a pinch of salt. The zest should consist of fine colored shavings.
- Work the ingredients together by hand or with a mixer on medium speed. A mixer should gather them into dough in about 2 minutes.
- Correct excessive stickiness with small additions of flour, mixing after each addition. Stop when the dough gathers the remaining ingredients from the bowl and its sides.
- Dust a wooden board or work surface lightly with flour. A thin coating will help prevent sticking during kneading.
- Turn the dough onto the prepared surface and knead gently, using extra flour only as needed. Look for a smooth surface rather than a floury, stiff mass.
- Leave the dough beneath a dry tea towel for at least 30 minutes. The rest lets the gluten relax before rolling.
To cook the struffoli
- Uncover the rested dough and give it a few passes with a rolling pin to form a broad oval. Keep it substantial rather than rolling a thin sheet.
- Slice off a strip no wider than 1.5 cm and roll it beneath your palms into a long rope. A consistent thickness will help the cut pieces cook evenly.
- Move the rope onto a parchment-lined tray. The paper keeps the dough from adhering to the tray.
- Repeat the strip-cutting and rolling process with the remaining dough. Aim for ropes of similar thickness.
- Return up to 10 ropes at a time to the board and cut straight across them into pieces smaller than 1 cm. The pieces should resemble tiny pillows.
- Arrange the cut dough on the parchment-lined tray. Keep the pieces distinct rather than pressing them into a mound.
- Bring peanut oil in a deep saucepan to approximately 180 °C (356 °F). A frying thermometer can help you check the temperature.
- Release the dough pieces into the oil individually. Separate entry helps prevent sticking without requiring you to fry only one piece at a time.
- Turn the pieces gently as they fry for about 1 minute. Remove them when every side looks golden brown.
- Scoop out the cooked balls, let the oil drain away, and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. The paper absorbs oil remaining on their surfaces.
To decorate the struffoli
- Warm a large saucepan for the coating. Use a pan with enough room to turn the fried balls through the honey.
- Stir together 150 grams honey, given here as 5 oz, and 1 tablespoon sugar in the heated pan. Watch for bubbling as the mixture heats.
- Fold the fried balls through the bubbling honey mixture. Continue until their surfaces look glossy and coated.
- Mix in lemon and orange zest to taste. Distribute the fragrant shavings throughout the coated balls.
- Switch off the heat, fold in the candied fruit and optional sprinkles, and promptly transfer to a platter or cupcake holders. The coating becomes harder to arrange as it cools.
- Finish with more optional sprinkles or leave the surface undecorated. The honey coating should remain visible beneath any decorations.
- Allow the struffoli to cool before serving. The honey will become less fluid as it sets around the balls.
Notes
Ingredient tip: Note that the coating step requires 1 extra tablespoon of sugar beyond the 2 tablespoons listed for the dough. For an optional alcohol-free swap, use 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice instead of limoncello.
Shaping tip: Slice strips up to 1.5 cm wide, roll them from the center outward into even ropes, and cut the final dough pillows smaller than 1 cm so the centers cook through evenly.
Glaze tip: Add the fried balls once the honey and sugar start bubbling, then transfer and shape them with utensils right after mixing before the cooling honey sets in the pan.
Make-ahead tip: To keep the pastry crisp, store completely cooled, unglazed fried balls in an airtight container and coat them in warm honey closer to serving time.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.