Recipes

Italian Zeppole

Enriched with an egg yolk, these light and airy Italian zeppole are a cross between a fritter and a doughnut.

Serves:
12
Prep Time:
25 min
Cook Time:
10 min

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups ( 440 mL ) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp ( 15 mL ) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp ( 10 mL ) instant rapid-rise yeast
  • ½ tsp ( 2.5 mL ) baking powder
  • ¼ tsp ( 1.25 mL ) salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ cup ( 125 mL ) milk, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp ( 30 mL ) melted butter
  • 1 tsp ( 5 mL ) vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ( 5 mL ) lemon zest
  • Vegetable oil
  • Icing sugar

Instructions

  1. Whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, milk, melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest; whisk into flour mixture until dough starts to form.
  2. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, adding more flour if needed for dough to come together. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 60 to 90 minutes or until doubled in volume.
  3. Lightly dust work surface with flour. Roll out dough into 6- x 4-inch (15- x 10-inch) rectangle, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) squares.
  4. Fill straight-sided saucepan with enough oil to come 2 inches (5 cm) up side; heat over medium heat until oil registers 375°F (190°C) on deep-fry thermometer. Deep fry zeppole, in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through; drain on paper towels. Roll in icing sugar.

Notes

Tips:

• Substitute rum extract for vanilla if desired.

• You can also roll zeppole in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar instead of icing sugar.