Zeppole with mascarpone and coffee cream

The zeppole with mascarpone and coffee cream are a fancy and delicious dessert. Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 250 ml of water
• 100 g of butter
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 150 g of type 00 flour
• 4 medium eggs
• Oil for frying
• Icing sugar for decoration

For the mascarpone and coffee cream:

• 250 g of mascarpone
• 100 g of icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cooled espresso coffee
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the choux pastry for the zeppole: bring the water to a boil with the butter, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
2. When the butter is completely melted, remove from the heat and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
3. Put the pan back on the heat and continue stirring until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan, forming a ball.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool down.
5. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until a smooth, homogeneous mixture is obtained.
6. Heat plenty of oil in a pan and, using two spoons, form small balls of dough and fry them until golden (about 4-5 minutes).
7. Drain the zeppole on paper towels and let them cool.

For the mascarpone and coffee cream:

1. In a bowl, blend the mascarpone with the icing sugar until obtaining a smooth cream.
2. Add the cold espresso coffee and, if you like, the unsweetened cocoa powder, mixing until the cream is homogeneous.

To complete:

1. Fill a pastry bag with the mascarpone and coffee cream.
2. Make a small hole in each zeppola and fill it with the cream.
3. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Trivia

Zeppole are a dessert typical of Italian tradition, particularly famous are those of San Giuseppe, prepared for Father’s Day on March 19th. The variant with mascarpone and coffee is a more modern and delicious reinterpretation that combines the intense taste of coffee with the sweetness of mascarpone.