Small and shiny, struffoli celebrate the warmth of Christmas and the flavor of the South, bringing joy to anyone who tastes them.
Struffoli are not just an iconic dessert.
These pralines of happiness are an authentic symbol of the Campania Christmas tradition.
Every year, families gather around this golden dessert, whose preparation is a ritual that celebrates union and conviviality.
Small golden spheres contain a memorable flavor, the result of ancient traditions that continue to be passed down, from table to table.
You lick your fingers, grabbing a praline, and then another - and collecting with your hands what remains of honey and colored sprinkles.
Let's discover this delicious dessert from Campania together; let's immerse ourselves in our grandmothers' recipe books, in search of the roots of this delicious dish.
Struffoli: a dessert that tells the story of Campania
Struffoli, as already mentioned, are a traditional Neapolitan dessert, typical of the Christmas period. In fact, they are the ones that signal to us that Christmas is really coming, along with lights and other delicacies being prepared in the days preceding and following Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Their origin dates back to the Magna Graecia era. The ancient Greeks introduced similar desserts to Italy, made with fried dough and honey.
The name could derive from the Greek strongylos, which means "round", in reference to their unmistakable shape.
Struffoli, small balls of fried dough, are glazed with honey and decorated with colored confetti, representing abundance and celebration.
Over time, they have become a symbol of conviviality in the families of Southern Italy; the moment in which a tray of struffoli is placed in the center of the Campania table is well imprinted in the memory of every Campanian.
The recipe for struffoli: the simplicity of the ingredients
Struffoli? Yes, always.
To prepare struffoli you only need a few simple and genuine ingredients: flour, eggs, butter, sugar and lemon zest - which adds a fresh and citrusy touch.
The recipe for struffoli, about 10 people:
- 500 g of flour;
- 3 eggs;
- 50 g of butter;
- 50 g of sugar;
- 1 sachet of baking powder;
- 1 pinch of salt;
- Grated zest of 1 lemon;
- 1 small glass of liqueur (for example, limoncello or rum);
- Oil for frying;
- 250 g of honey;
- 100 g of mixed candied fruit (orange, citron);
- Colored confetti (only if desired).
The dough, worked with care, becomes the basis of an explosion of flavors and consistencies that only a traditional dessert can offer.
This recipe for struffoli is enough for about 8-10 people, depending on the portions. Struffoli are very rich and fragrant desserts, so generally even small quantities are enough for each person.
The magic of preparing struffoli
In a bowl, mix the flour with the yeast, sugar, lemon zest and pinch of salt.
Add the eggs, softened butter and liqueur.
Knead until the mixture is smooth and elastic; if necessary, add a little flour to work the dough better.
After creating a soft and fragrant dough, stretch it with your hands and form small cylinders; then cut the dough into very small pieces. Roll each piece to obtain balls of about 1 cm in diameter. Continue until the dough is used up.
In a large pan, heat the necessary amount of oil. Fry the struffoli, taking a dozen at a time. These, once fried, turn into golden and crunchy balls.
This is where the art of struffoli lies: the right browning gives that perfect contrast between the crunchy outside and the soft inside.
Honey and struffoli: a sweet hug
The final stage of preparing our struffoli is a triumph of flavor and sweetness.
In a small saucepan, we heat the honey until it is liquid. Then, the struffoli are immersed in a cascade of hot honey, which envelops them, giving them an irresistible shine.
We transfer the struffoli to a serving dish and decorate them with candied fruit and, if we wish, with colored confetti. Sugar sprinkles, confetti and colored devils, candied fruit and orange peel complete the work, making the dish exquisite and also wonderfully scenic.
Struffoli, a wonderful dessert to prepare and share
We just made our struffoli, and they are delicious.
Struffoli are more than just a Christmas dessert: they are an experience to be enjoyed together.
Served on large trays or arranged in the shape of a wreath, they invite families to gather, share stories and create new memories.
Every bite is a piece of happiness, a small tribute to the traditions that keep us together.
Every hand that is about to take and eat a golden praline, is a hug - to the candor given by family and Christmas traditions.
