Strufolli Food

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Break the eggs and whisk. Put eggs through a strainer to make sure they are mixed properly. Add sugar to eggs and mix immediately to prevent sugar from burning eggs. Bring butter to room temperature. Flake butter into the flour.
• Split vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds and add them to the sugar/egg mixture. Put mixture into a mixer and mix (using dough hook) and slowly add the flour. Let dough rest in a cool dry place.
• Roll out the dough into small quantities. Cut dough into 1/2-inch strips and cut 1/2-inch pieces from the strips. Place the 1/2-inch squares onto a baking pan.
• Put vegetable oil into a large pot and bring to 350 degrees. Fry small quantities of the dough squares in the oil and when golden brown, place onto a baking pan lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. When all dough is fried, let cool to room temperature.
• In a saucepan, heat the honey (not to a boil) and add small quantities of the fried dough to the pan. Stir lightly with a large slotted spoon. Remove from saucepan and place onto a serving plate and sprinkle with candy sprinkles.

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Beat eggs, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; stir in baking powder. Slowly stir flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into egg mixture until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into small balls.
• Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) or until you see little waves on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Working in small batches, fry dough balls in the hot oil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer struffoli to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
• Heat honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly mix 1/2 cup sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, into honey until sugar is melted and glaze is smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer struffoli to a large bowl and pour glaze over the top; toss quickly to evenly coat before glaze hardens.
• Form struffoli into a tower-shape or Christmas tree-shape on a serving plate. Sprinkle nonpareils sprinkles over the struffoli.

STRUFOLLI

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add eggs and mix to form dough. Turn out on floured surface and add enough flour so that mixture is no longer sticky.
• Roll into small loaves, about 3" wide and 1/2" thick. Slice into strips crosswise about 1/2" thick and then chop the strips into 1/2" sections so that you now have little cubes.
• Bring oil to 350 degrees and deep fry in batches until golden brown. Place on paper towels on a plate or bowl.
• Heat honey and stir in sprinkles. Stir strufolli into honey mixture, then scoop into cupcake papers. Sprinkle with additional sprinkles.

ITALIAN STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vanilla, rum, eggs, egg yolks, and 1/4 cup canola oil. In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and sugar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly and mix the whole time with an electric mixer. (I use my Kitchen-aid.) Beat until mixture forms a soft dough. Put plastic wrap over it and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Divide dough in half. Form each half into ropes 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut each rope into 3/4 inch pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
• In a pot or saucepan, heat 3 inches of oil. Add dough balls in batches and fry about 2 minutes until gold in color. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels.
• In another saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Cook the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, stirring often. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the dough balls. Transfer the strufolli to a serving dish and serve at room temperature.

GRANDMA HELEN'S STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Add all liquid ingredients (Except honey) to dry to form a dough.
• Knead dough well to incorporate all ingredients.
• For balls roll dough out in 1/4 inch round strips like pencils.
• Cut the pieces at small intervals with an angle cut.
• How far apart you make the cut is your judgment call, as the smaller the spacing the smaller the balls and vice versa.
• Mom likes the look leaving them as is with the angle cut giving a unique shape to the balls as they fry.
• If you prefer perfectly rounded balls, you can roll the pieces in the palms of your hands like miniature meatballs before frying.
• For ribbons cut some of the dough in flat strips about 1/2 inch wide preferably using a crimped edge cutting wheel as it gives a fancy serrated edge to them.
• Form loops or bow shapes with the ribbons and deep fry balls and ribbons separately until golden brown (ribbons as they are flat will cook quicker than the balls).
• Drain on absorbent paper.
• Heat honey in a deep pot until it starts to thin out and become pourable.
• Remove from heat.
• Dip bows and ribbons in warm honey and set aside.
• Add balls to the honey and toss to coat.
• Transfer balls to holiday platter and top with the ribbons and bows.
• Or you can mound the balls to look like a Christmas tree and decorate with bows on the sides.
• Sprinkle with multi colored sprinkles.

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Heat at least 2" of cooking oil in a pan until its very hot. Place flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well (indentation) in the center of flour and add the eggs one at a time, mixing slightly after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix well to make a soft dough. Turn dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and elastic.
• Divide dough into halves and lightly roll each half 1/4 inch thick to form a rectangle. Cut dough with a pastry cutter into strips 1/4" wide. Use the palm of your hand to roll strips to pencil thickness. Cut into pieces about 1/4" to 1/2" long.
• Fry only as many pieces of dough as will float one layer deep for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Drain before removing, and then place on several paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
• In a different pan heat the honey until it is hot. Add in the drained fried dough pieces. Stir constantly until all pieces are coated. Remove, place in a glass bowl and keep it in the refrigerator to cool slightly. Remove and sprinkle with the sprinkles!

STRUFFOLI

Steps:

• Put the Crisco and sugar in bowl of mixer. Beat till blended and light.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat till blended.
• Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Add more flour in half cup measurements till you have a nice rollable dough.
• Divide the dough and with a floured counter top and hands roll into long ropes between 1/4"-1/2" thick and then cut ropes with a bread knife into about 1/4" balls. This may seem like it will take a long time but it goes very quickly as I enlist my whole family to take part.
• Fry the balls in hot oil till they are golden brown. Remove and put the fried balls in a bowl (with paper towel on bottom) large enough to hold all the struffoli. Remove the paper towel once all struffoli are done.
• Heat 1 cup of honey in a small saucepan. No need to make it too hot, just warm. Pour honey over the struffoli balls. Sprinkle with walnuts and in our family's case chocolate sprinkles.
• The struffoli can then be put into whatever serving dish you like. I use one with a lid as they should be covered when stored. In my house that is on the kitchen island for easy munching.
• After they have sat over night they will need a good stir as the honey sets to the bottom. They may need more honey as well as they absorb it as they sit.