Hey, welcome back. I have been researching more Italian desserts and come across some that I am not familiar with. 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 balls of dough 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 story of these interesting dumplings, here’s what I’ve come up with 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 part of the story? 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 diced candied fruit. which has the appearance of confetti. They must be very small “candied fruit cubes” if the donut itself is only the size of a marble…and who is in charge of “dicing” 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. Apparently, Struffoli hails straight from the heart of Naples, Italy, where it has been influenced by successive waves of Greek, Roman, French, English, and Spanish conquerors over the centuries.
MY INVESTIGATION CONTINUES…
The Italian Trade Commission touts it as “truly legendary”. Ok, so where is the legend? Oops, sorry, I digress again. These tasty snacks used to be prepared in the convents by sisters of the different religious orders. They were distributed to noble families “as thanks for acts of charity”. Apparently, although the ingredients do not 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 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 a Christmas thing. 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 STUFF something the size of a MARMIC? 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 throughout 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 delight. Then, it is put away to be guarded until the next year….
My research continued as I tried to find a recipe or method to stuff the little balls of cicerchiata. But alas! Couldn’t 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 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 of vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 fluid ounce of whiskey (rye, bourbon, or Canadian is fine, but not Scotch)
- 3 cups honey (Golden Blossom brand has traditionally been used, but if not available, use pure clover honey)
- Oil or butter for frying
- Multi-colored sprinkles (use the small, round, hard sprinkles instead of the softer, longer ones used in ice cream cones)
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.
- To this dry mixture, 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 well mixed.
- To make the dough balls, 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 dough strips to create smaller pieces, keeping in mind that the smaller the pieces at this stage, the smaller the dough balls will be when you’re done.
- You can roll the pieces into balls between your palms like little meatballs, or you can leave them the way you cut them.
- This recipe makes for 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 scalloped 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’ll need to fry the “ribbons” and “bows” separately from the dumplings, as they’ll cook faster to a beautiful golden brown color, since they’re 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 is pourable.
- Take it off the heat.
- Dip the bows and ribbons in warm honey and set them aside.
- Add balls to honey and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer the balls to a festive plate and top 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 nice 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 neighborhood. Come join me for another adventure into the wonderful world of Italian desserts.
Bon Apetit!
