Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls)
Servings 10 people
Struffoli uses pantry staple ingredients to create marble sizes of dough that get deep-fried before being covered in a sweet honey glaze! A classic Italian treat that will quickly disappear from the table!
Ingredients
Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour divided (extra is for dusting hands and surfaces)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups canola oil enough to have about 2 inches of oil in your pot for deep frying
Honey Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Rainbow or Christmas decorating sprinkles
- powdered sugar candied cherries, or nuts are all optional garnishes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, sugar, lemon zest, salt and baking powder.
- Cut the butter up into small chunks and add this to the bowl as well. Mix until this is mealy. Blend in the 3 eggs and vanilla. I use a stand mixer, but this can be done by hand.
- Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 2-3 minutes.
- Shape into a ball, cover the dough and allow it to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Lightly dust your hands and work surface so the dough doesn’t stick to you as you are working with it.
- Roll out the dough, then cut it into strips about as wide as your index finger. Roll the strips into ropes about ¼ inch thick.
- Then cut into ¼ inch pieces (they should be about marble-sized). I find it easiest to line up the ropes and cut a bunch at one time.) Make sure all the pieces are separated on your board, so they don’t stick together while cooking.
- Heat the oil to 375°F - hot enough so the balls of dough cook quickly and don’t absorb too much oil.
- Fry the dough balls in non-crowded batches, just until golden - it will only take a couple of minutes. Turn with a slotted spoon or wire strainer to make sure they turn golden on all sides. As each batch is cooked, remove them to a plate lined with paper towels.
- In a large pot, heat the honey, sugar, and lemon juice until melted and smooth. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the struffoli and stir gently until all of the balls are evenly coated.
- Arrange the struffoli into a wreath shape, or mound like a Christmas tree, on a serving plate. Lightly cover with sprinkles and serve!
Notes
- You don’t need to roll the dough pieces into balls after cutting them, the little pieces round out while cooking.
- How To Store: Finished Struffoli can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for up to 3 days. If the balls haven’t been glazed yet you can store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Then just add the honey and sprinkles before serving!
- How can I make this into the shape of a wreath? Put a glass in the middle of the serving plate and place the glazed balls around it. Remove the glass when ready to serve.
- Can I use flavoring other than vanilla? Yes! Try using almond extract or rum extract!
- I don’t have a lemon to zest - will this still turn out? Yes, but it is really nice to have the citrus flavor added. If you have an orange, try using orange zest in place of the lemon zest.
- Could I make bigger balls? Yes, if you prefer. Traditional struffoli has marble size balls but the recipe will still work if you make larger balls. You may just need a slightly longer cooking time.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time and fry the balls the next day? Yes, just cover the kneaded dough with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. It may be kept this way for a day.
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/struffoli/