Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls)

Ingredients

• 3 cups Italian 00 or all-purpose flour ((420g) spooned and leveled*)
• ⅓ cup sugar ((65g))
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1 zest of one orange
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 4 tablespoons melted butter ((55g))
• 1 pinch of salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup honey ((300g))
• Sprinkles

Steps

1. 1

   Put all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & orange zest) in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the middle and add the melted butter, eggs and rum.

2. 2

   Mix the ingredients together until it starts to come together then knead into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Once rested, cut the dough in half then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. One at a time roll each piece of dough into a long sausage shape about 1cm (1/2 inch) thick. Cut each log into small pieces roughly 1cm (1/2 inch) in size (just like making gnocchi but much smaller).

4. 4

   Roll each cut piece of dough into balls using the palms of your hands and place on a board or surface lightly dusted with flour so they don’t stick. Make sure they are in a single layer and not on top of each other.

5. 5

   Using a thermometer, heat the oil in a large pot to 375°F (190°C) at least 2-3 inches deep. Fry the struffoli in batches until golden brown (30-40 seconds). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

6. 6

   Once the struffoli have cooled, add the honey to a large pot (big enough to hold all of the struffoli) and heat it gently just until it becomes very liquidy, it will only take a few seconds.

7. 7

   Add the cooled struffoli and gently stir until they are thoroughly coated in the honey, let them soak up the honey for 2-3 minutes.

8. 8

   Arrange the struffoli in your desired shape (ring or mound). To create a ring, place a ramekin or large glass in the middle of your serving plate and arrange the struffoli around it. You can remove the ramekin after a few minutes. Alternatively, arrange the struffoli in a large mound on a plate, then decorate with sprinkles.