Zeppole di San Giuseppe

to eliminate lumps. 3. Remove the lemon peel and vanilla bean from the milk (or strain if using extract). 4. Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, stirring continuously. 5. Return everything to the heat and cook on a low flame, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens (it should not boil). 6. Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap in contact to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

Assembling the Zeppoles:

1. Slice the zeppoles horizontally in half.
2. Fill a pastry bag with the now cool custard cream and pipe it onto the base of the zeppoles.
3. Place the top part of the choux on top and decorate with another dollop of custard cream.
4. Place a syrupy black cherry on top of each zeppole and sprinkle with a pinch of powdered sugar.

And now your Zeppole di San Giuseppe are ready to be enjoyed!

Trivia

Although the baked version is lighter, the fried ones are the more traditional version in Italy, especially in the South. Nevertheless, there are many local variations, including the choice of garnishing the zeppoles with cream and black cherries or with other candied fruit. During Father’s Day, it is common to find these delicious zeppoles in the best Italian pastry shops, where everyone boasts their own special version.