Struffoli – A beautiful dessert – Betcha can’t eat just one
Tours TravelHey, welcome back. I’ve been researching more Italian desserts and come across some that I’m not familiar with. The research is exciting and I am finding recipes that I plan to make. Anyway, Struffoli is one of those “new to me” desserts that I am going to share with you. Wikipedia defines Struffoli as “a Neapolitan dish made of fried dumplings the size of marbles.” These dumplings are crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside.
HISTORY OF THE “ROUND”…
Now for the history of these interesting dumplings, here’s what I’ve gleaned from my research. The name Struffoli comes from the Greek “strongulos” which means “round in shape”. Okay, the name fits, but how does that fit into the story part? Well, according to the Italian Trade Commission website, Struffoli are small round donuts (without the hole… or maybe YES the hole) that are drenched in honey and then topped with a sprinkle of cubed candied fruit. which has the appearance of confetti. These must be very small “candied fruit cubes” if the donut itself is only the size of a marble…and who would “dice” something that small? It’s not a job I want; that is sure! Anyway, I digress, so let’s get back to the story of this cute Italian dessert. On the surface, Struffoli comes straight from the heart of Naples, Italy, where he has experienced the influence of successive waves of Greek, Roman, French, English and Spanish conquerors over the centuries.
MY CONTINUING RESEARCH…
The Italian Trade Commission touts it as “truly legendary”. Okay, so where’s the legend? Whoops, sorry, I’m digressing again. These tasty snacks used to be prepared in convents by sisters from different religious orders. They were distributed to noble families “as thanks for acts of charity.” Apparently, while the ingredients don’t change, there are many variations that have been created over the years. I think I’m missing something here, but it seems like there HAS to be something romantic or exceptional about these little dumplings! I still don’t see much legend here.
MOVING ALONG…
Checking another source supports the preparation of the nuns and it seems that it was something Christmassy. They symbolized abundance and were given at Christmas as a “thank you” to the aristocracy for their charitable work. Well now, we may be getting somewhere FINALLY… maybe this was the origin of making candy for Christmas to show appreciation and friendship… huummm.
I also found out that a similar version was made in Rome and is usually filled with candied fruit and chopped almonds… again… HOW DO YOU FILL something the size of a MARK? Obviously, this is done by people with much more patience than me. These desserts are called cicerchiata in Rome. The photos that I have found of these two Italian desserts are quite beautiful. The Struffoli are stacked in a pyramid shape and stick together because they are covered in honey or caramel. Candied fruit confetti cubes are sprinkled all over the stack, adding lovely color to this surprising little treat. And… every Italian family has a treasured and well-kept secret recipe for this dessert that is brought out every year for the preparation of this Christmas treat. Then, it is saved to be guarded until the next year….
My research continued as I tried to find a recipe or method for filling the little cicerchiata balls. But alas! Could not find any recipe or method for the “filling” part of this little Italian dessert.
So here is the basic Struffoli recipe that I found and liked the best. It looks decorative enough to scream CHRISTMAS, the holiest of all seasons.
STRUFOLIOS RECIPE:
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 fluid ounce whiskey (rye, bourbon, or Canadian is fine, but not scotch)
- 3 cups honey (traditionally the Golden Blossom brand has been used, but if this is not available, use pure clover honey)
- Oil or butter for frying
- Multicolored sprinkles (use the small round hard sprinkles instead of the softer long ones used in ice cream cones)
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- To this dry mix, add the liquid ingredients except the honey.
- Mix the liquid and dry ingredients to form a dough.
- Knead the dough until all the ingredients are mixed well.
- To make the dumplings, divide the dough into smaller portions and roll each portion into a long strip about ¼-inch in diameter.
- These strips should resemble pencils in diameter.
- Make angled cuts in the rolled strips of dough to create smaller pieces, keeping in mind that the smaller the pieces at this stage, the smaller the balls of dough will be when you’re done.
- You can roll the pieces into balls between the palms of your hands like little meatballs or you can leave them the way you cut them.
- This recipe is a more decorative dessert, so you can also roll out some of the dough and cut it into flat strips about ½ inch wide.
- Using a pastry wheel cutter that has wavy edges adds a more decorative touch to the “ribbons.”
- These strips will be the “ribbons” of our finished product. With the flat strips, form bows and bows with the dough.
- You will have to fry the “ribbons” and “bows” separately from the dumplings, as they will cook faster to a beautiful golden brown color, since they are not as thick.
- Fry all the different shapes until golden brown.
- Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or other absorbent paper.
- Heat the honey in a deep pot until it begins to thin and can be poured.
- Take it off the heat.
- Dip bows and ribbons in warm honey and set aside.
- Add balls to honey and gently toss to coat.
- Transfer the balls to a festive plate and cover with the ribbons and bows.
- Or you can stack the balls to look like a Christmas tree and decorate with bows on the sides.
- Sprinkle with multi-colored sprinkles.
Experiment with different ways to “dress up” a pretty Italian dessert. Create your own secret family recipe that can be closely guarded and passed down through your family. Start your own family tradition this holiday season. It will be a wonderful legacy to pass on to your children. And, most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH THIS!
And our next dessert theme will be Zeppole, since we’re in the donut district. Come join me for another adventure into the wonderful world of Italian desserts.
Enjoy your meal!