Struffoli (Neapolitan Fried Honey Balls)
This is a Christmas must for Neapolitans! Struffoli are delicious fried honey balls that are place on a plate in the shape of a wreath. I grew up seeing this dessert on my Christmas table, although as a child I did not like them! But maturity and nostalgia takes over and now I make them every year for my family.
Struffoli
A classic Neapolitan Christmas Dessert.
Ingredients
- 265 g AP flour
- 3 Large eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 30 g Sugar
- 8 oz Honey
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Blanched Raw almonds
- Peel of 1 Mandarin
- Nonpareil sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Sift the Flour into a bowl. Add sugar and mix.
- Dump the flour and sugar mixture onto a kneading surface. Make a well in the center. Add lemon zest and 3 eggs. Using a fork, begin mixing the eggs into the flour, add flour slowly until you can no longer do it with a fork.
- Then you switch to your hands, kneading the dough until you have a homogenous and smooth dough ball.
- Let the dough rest for 30mins wrapped in plastic wrap at room temp.
- In the meantime, blanch the almonds to remove the skin. Also remove the peel and pith from a mandarin and cut into slivers.
- Cut off a small piece of dough roll out to thin rope, about 1/2 in wide. Cut into small pieces 1/2 inch thick. Continue this process until all Struffoli have been cut.
- Fill a medium pot halfway with Canola, sunflower or vegetable oil. Heat oil and use one of the pieces of dough to test if the oil is hot enough. If it starts to sizzle right away, the oil is ready.
- Fry the Struffoli in batches, making sure to move them around constantly so they don’t stick together.
- Once fried, remove them from the pot and place them on paper towels or a wire rack lined with paper towels.
- Into a large pot, heat up the honey and 1/2 tsp cinnamon until it slightly darkens in color. Once the honey is ready, add all the Struffoli, almonds and mandarin peels and mix.
- Dump the mixture onto a serving plate with a glass in the center. Using your hand and a wooden spoon, form the signature wreath shape. Top with sprinkles and Buon Natale!
Video
@frannielovesfood Struffoli Time!! 🎄🎄🥰 INGREDIENTS * 265 g AP flour * 3 Large eggs * Zest of 1 lemon * 30 g Sugar * 8 oz Honey * 1/2 tsp Cinnamon * 1/2 cup Blanched Raw almonds * Peel of 1 Mandarin * Nonpareil sprinkles for decoration #struffoli #christmas #italianfood #homebaker #bakewithme #christmascookies #frannielovesfood #recipes #holidaybaking
♬ Jazz that Christmas masterpiece 3 – Single Origin Music
