Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Zeppole
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray.
- In a large saucepan, blend the water and sugar and heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the butter and a pinch of salt to the mixture, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and add the flour to the butter mixture. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until a unified dough takes shape and no longer adheres to the sides of the pan. While continuing to stir, make certain that the dough cooks for at least 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked mixture to a spacious mixing bowl. Gradually incorporate the egg into the dough, ensuring that the egg is thoroughly absorbed. The resulting dough should possess a smooth and sticky consistency.
- Place the dough into a piping bag equipped with a star-shaped nozzle. Proceed to pipe the zeppole in a circular shape, allowing them to overlap in the center, creating a size of approximately 3 inches. Ensure that you pipe them with a distance of 2 inches between each zeppole.
- Place the piped zeppole in the preheated oven at 380°F (193°C) and bake them for 15 minutes. Following this, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. Then, open the oven slightly and continue cooking for an extra 5 minutes.Once the baking is complete, remove the zeppole from the oven and let them cool down entirely.
Custard
- In a spacious bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar, ensuring they are thoroughly mixed. Next, incorporate the cornstarch into the mixture. Gradually pour the milk into the egg mixture, adding a small amount at a time while whisking continuously until well blended. Afterward, transfer the combined mixture back into the saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat.
- Continuously stir the mixture until it thickens. If any lumps form, reduce the heat and utilize a whisk to smoothen it out. The consistency should be thick enough to adhere to the back of a wooden spoon. Once the desired thickness is achieved, transfer the mixture to a fresh bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is in direct contact with the custard's surface to prevent the formation of a skin. Allow the custard to cool down completely.
Filling Zeppole
- After the custard has cooled, transfer it into a piping bag. You can use a star-shaped nozzle, or any other type that you prefer. Cut the zeppole in half and proceed to fill them with the custard. Add a bit more custard on top of each zeppole, dust with powdered sugar and then crown each one with a cherry.