📋Traditional Struffoli Recipe With Cognac

Struffoli is an Italian dessert mostly known as a Christmas tradition from Naples, but in many other Italian regions are traditional during Carnival.

Course Desserts

Cuisine Italian

Keyword fried dough with honey, pignolata, struffoli

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 3

Servings people

Calories 393kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

Struffoli (Pignolata)

3 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3 tablespoon butter
4 fresh eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 pinch salt
½ cup Cognac
1 cup honey
vegetable oil for frying
1 tablespoon sprinkle of praline for decoration

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together to make the dough
3 ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, 3 tablespoon butter, 4 fresh eggs, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 pinch salt, ½ cup Cognac
Let it rest for 1.5 hrs wrapped in a cling film.
Place the Struffoli dough over a floured surface, take a small piece of dough and roll it into a long thin shape.
Cut them into small pieces and continue with the rest of the dough. Keep them well floured so they don’t stick to each other.
In the meantime prepare the frying pan and heat up the oil. Start frying the Struffoli until they are golden. Turn them so they cook evenly.
vegetable oil for frying
Place them on layers of kitchen paper to absorb the oil.
At this point you can freeze the Struffoli if you want to use them at a later time. You do not need to defrost them and bring them to room temperature, before continuing to the next step. They will defrost with the heat of the honey.
Pour the Struffoli into a large frying pan and add 1 cup of honey. Stir well over a medium heat until the honey caramelizes, then completely coat the Struffoli.
1 cup honey
Pour over a serving dish, and make them into the shape of a mountain.
Add some coloured sprinkles and let it cool completely before serving them.
They are now ready to eat. Enjoy!
1 tablespoon sprinkle of praline

Video

Notes

If you like firm crunchy Struffoli do not add baking powder
You can substitute Cognac with Rum or white wine
Beside lemon zest, you can also add orange zest
To make it more festive, mix candied cherries or other candied fruits with the fried Struffoli
Once you fry the Struffoli you can freeze them and coat them in honey just before you want to serve them.
Let the dough rest for 1.5 hours before shaping the Struffoli balls

NOTE: Once fried, you can freeze the Struffoli if you want to use them at a later time. You do not need to defrost them and bring them to room temperature, before continuing to the next step. They will defrost with the heat of the honey.

Nutrition