Chef Graziella
Babà al Rum Napoletano
The yeast-risen sponge that Naples claimed from Poland and perfected. Baked to a burnished gold, then drowned in rum syrup until it weeps with every bite.
Culinary Explorer
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Struffoli Napoletani
Created by
The ancient Christmas sweets of Naples, tiny fried dough balls glazed in warm honey and piled into a glistening mound. Every Neapolitan grandmother has made these, and now you will too.
Desserts
Italian, Neapolitan
Christmas
Holiday
1 hr
Active Time
45 min cook•1 hr 45 min total
Yield12 servings
Struffoli are not difficult. They require no special talent, no years of training. What they require is patience: the patience to roll small balls of dough, the patience to fry them in batches at the correct temperature, the patience to coat them properly in warm honey. If you lack patience, make something else.
The dough is simple. Flour, eggs, a little butter, a touch of citrus. You mix it, you rest it, you roll it into ropes and cut it into pieces no larger than a chickpea. This is the test. Too large, and the struffoli become heavy. Too small, and they turn to nothing in the honey. The size of a chickpea. Remember this.
The frying must be done at the correct temperature. Too hot, and the outside burns while the inside stays raw. Too cool, and the struffoli absorb oil and become greasy. When done properly, they are light, barely sweet on their own, waiting for the honey to transform them. The honey is not a garnish. It is the point. Warm it gently, toss the fried balls until each one glistens, then pile them high and let them cool into a sticky, magnificent heap.
Neapolitans have made struffoli for Christmas since before anyone bothered to write it down. They are served on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, on New Year's. They sit on the table in their sticky glory, and guests pick at them with their fingers, one or two at a time, until suddenly the pile has vanished. This is as it should be.
Struffoli arrived in Naples centuries ago, likely carried by Greek colonists who called similar sweets loukoumades. By the 1600s, Neapolitan convents had claimed them as their specialty, with nuns selling elaborately decorated versions to fund their orders. The tradition of piling them into a cone or ring symbolizes abundance and celebration, a monument of sweetness to mark the holiest days of the year.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
all-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour
Quantity
3 cups (400g)
large eggs
Quantity
4
at room temperature
unsalted butter
Quantity
3 tablespoons
softened
granulated sugar
Quantity
3 tablespoons
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
lemon
Quantity
1
zest finely grated
orange
Quantity
1
zest finely grated
limoncello or white rum
Quantity
2 tablespoons
vegetable oil or lard
Quantity
about 4 cups
for frying
mild honey
Quantity
1 1/2 cups (500g)
candied orange peel
Quantity
2 tablespoons
diced small
candied citron
Quantity
2 tablespoons
diced small
colored nonpareils (diavulilli) (optional)
Quantity
for decoration
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| all-purpose flour or Italian 00 flour | 3 cups (400g) |
| large eggsat room temperature | 4 |
| unsalted buttersoftened | 3 tablespoons |
| granulated sugar | 3 tablespoons |
| fine sea salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| lemonzest finely grated | 1 |
| orangezest finely grated | 1 |
| limoncello or white rum | 2 tablespoons |
| vegetable oil or lardfor frying | about 4 cups |
| mild honey | 1 1/2 cups (500g) |
| candied orange peeldiced small | 2 tablespoons |
| candied citrondiced small | 2 tablespoons |
| colored nonpareils (diavulilli) (optional) | for decoration |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy pot for deep frying (at least 5 quarts)
- •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
- •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
- •Large wide pot or deep skillet for the honey
- •Serving platter
Instructions
- 1
Make the dough
Mound the flour on a clean work surface or in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add the eggs, softened butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, orange zest, and limoncello to the well. Using a fork, beat the eggs and wet ingredients together, gradually incorporating flour from the inner walls of the well. When the mixture becomes too thick for the fork, use your hands to bring it together into a shaggy mass.
The citrus zest is not optional. It provides the perfume that distinguishes proper struffoli from plain fried dough. - 2
Knead until smooth
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes. It should become smooth, soft, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add flour sparingly. If it feels dry and cracks, wet your hands slightly and continue. The dough should feel like the lobe of your ear when pressed. Wrap tightly in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 3
Shape the struffoli
Cut the rested dough into eight pieces. Keep the pieces you are not working with covered. Roll each piece into a rope about half an inch thick. Cut the rope into pieces the size of a chickpea, roughly half an inch. Roll each piece between your palms to form a small ball. This is tedious. There is no faster way. Place the balls on a lightly floured baking sheet, not touching.
The size matters more than the shape. Slightly irregular balls are fine. Balls larger than a hazelnut are not. - 4
Heat the oil
Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of at least 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 340°F (170°C). Use a thermometer. Do not guess. Drop one test ball into the oil. It should sink, then rise almost immediately, surrounded by gentle bubbles. If it browns instantly, the oil is too hot. If it sits at the bottom, the oil is too cool.
- 5
Fry in batches
Fry the struffoli in batches of about 20 at a time. Do not crowd the pot, or the temperature will drop and the struffoli will absorb oil. Fry, stirring gently with a spider or slotted spoon, until golden all over, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. The color should be even, like pale wood. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Continue until all are fried.
Let the oil return to 340°F between batches. Patience here prevents greasy struffoli. - 6
Warm the honey
In a large, wide pot or deep skillet, warm the honey over low heat. Do not let it boil. You want it fluid and warm, not bubbling. When the honey runs easily from a spoon, it is ready. Remove from heat.
- 7
Coat with honey
Add all the fried struffoli to the warm honey. Add the candied orange peel and citron. Using a large spoon or spatula, fold gently until every struffoli is coated and glistening. Work quickly but carefully. The honey cools and thickens as you work. Every surface should shine.
- 8
Shape and decorate
Wet your hands with cold water to prevent sticking. Transfer the honeyed struffoli to a serving plate and shape into a mound, ring, or cone. Work quickly while the honey is still pliable. Scatter the colored nonpareils over the surface while the honey is tacky. Let cool completely at room temperature, at least 2 hours, until the honey sets and the struffoli hold their shape.
In Naples, struffoli are traditionally shaped into a ring representing a wreath or a cone representing the Christmas tree. A simple mound is equally traditional and far easier.
Chef Tips
- •Use a mild honey, such as acacia or wildflower. Strong honeys like chestnut or buckwheat will overwhelm the delicate dough. The honey is the main flavor. Choose carefully.
- •Struffoli must be fried at the correct temperature. Too hot, they burn outside and stay raw inside. Too cool, they turn greasy. A thermometer is not optional for this recipe.
- •Traditional Neapolitan struffoli use the colored sprinkles called diavulilli. Silver dragées and candied cherries are also authentic. Red and green sprinkles from the supermarket are not, but I will not tell your grandmother if you will not tell mine.
- •These keep at room temperature for a week, covered loosely with plastic wrap. They do not need refrigeration. The honey acts as a preservative. They become chewier as they sit, which some prefer.
Advance Preparation
- •The dough can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
- •The struffoli can be fried up to one day ahead and stored uncovered at room temperature. Coat with warm honey when ready to serve.
- •Once assembled and glazed, struffoli keep at room temperature for up to one week. Cover loosely; do not refrigerate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 110g)
Calories
400 calories
Total Fat
13 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
70 mg
Sodium
50 mg
Total Carbohydrates
68 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
42 g
Protein
5 g
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