Struffoli (Honey Balls )
A Delicious Tasty Treat
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour all purpose
- 1 tbs sugar
- 1 salt a pinch
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbs butter your choice unsalted
- 1 teas vanilla
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups honey granulated
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup colored sprinkles
Instructions
- For a blender:Pour in 4 cups of all-purpose flour.Then 1tbs. sugar and pinch of salt together in the blender. Beat 4 eggs in a bowl. Then add to flour in blender.Mix in 4 - ½ inch cubes of butter.Then add the vanilla and blend. Keep blending the dough for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. It may need up to a ¼ cup of water to help blend better, will appear to be crumbly.Dust a workable space with a little flour, then pour out the finished dough onto the flour. Knead the dough until smooth, a few minutes, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature one hour before using.Cut off a piece of the dough and roll it out into a rope, not too thick, do this until all dough is finished. Cut the dough ropes crosswise into 1/3-inch pieces, then roll the pieces of dough between your hands into tiny balls.The Frying:Pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350 degrees F Then carefully place about one-fourth of the dough balls into the oil and fry, I used a wire spider scoop. Begin turning and dunking them a few minutes until golden brown on all sides.Transfer them with the wire scoop to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, allowing any excess oil to drip back into the pan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.Next, in a separate frying pan, pour in the honey, sugar and water, stir well, and let boil. Reduce the heat a little, then add the fried dough balls in but don’t crowd the pan, toss them in the honey syrup with a wire scoop or slotted spoon until they are well coated. Remove the dough balls from the syrup with the skimmer, allowing excess syrup to drip back into the pan first, and mound them on the serving plate.Mount them up to shape as you please, into a wreath shape or a pyramid to look like the shape of a Christmas tree.I also like to pour a little more of the remaining honey over the placed honey balls when the honey has cooled so it coats the dough balls even better.Scatter the sprinkles over the mound of struffoli until it is colorful and festive.They are best eaten the same day.
Video
Notes
This tasty little treat was something I looked forward to every holiday season. I would walk into my Grandparents home and shortly after all the hugs and pinches on my cheeks, I headed directly to the Struffoli. I was in heaven !