Home

Struffoli with Milk Cream

17/11/2023

Struffoli are a typical Neapolitan sweet, usually prepared during the Christmas holidays. I will provide you with the recipe for struffoli and suggest a milk cream to accompany this delicious dessert.

Ingredients for struffoli:

  • 500 g of type 00 flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 50 g of granulated sugar
  • 50 g of butter
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of anise (liqueur)
  • Seed oil for frying
  • Honey for garnishing
  • Candied fruits and colored sprinkles for decoration

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, arrange the flour in a well and add the eggs, sugar, softened butter, lemon zest, salt, and anise in the center.
  2. Knead all the ingredients until you get a smooth mixture. If necessary, add a little flour, but the dough should remain soft.
  3. Divide the dough into small portions and roll into thin “snakes,” then cut each snake into small pieces to obtain the struffoli.
  4. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the struffoli in small batches until golden.
  5. Drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  6. In a large saucepan, heat the honey until it becomes liquid, then add the fried struffoli and mix gently to coat them well.
  7. Arrange the struffoli on a serving plate, forming a sort of pyramid, and decorate with candied fruits and colored sprinkles.

Ingredients for milk cream:

  • 500 ml of whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 40 g of type 00 flour
  • Lemon zest

Preparation

  1. In a saucepan, heat the milk with the lemon zest without bringing it to a boil.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until you get a frothy mixture.
  3. Add the sifted flour and mix well to avoid lumps.
  4. Remove the lemon zest from the milk and pour the mixture of yolks, sugar, and flour into the saucepan with the hot milk.
  5. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the cream thickens.
  6. Once ready, allow the milk cream to cool down before serving it with the struffoli.

Curiosity

Struffoli, with their joyful and colorful appearance, symbolize abundance and good fortune. Traditionally, they are prepared in large quantities to be shared with family and friends during the festivities. Pairing them with a cream can be a delicious and refined variant of the classic recipe.