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Zeppole di San Giuseppe (Italian St. Joseph’s Day Pastry)
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are traditional Italian pastries made to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19. These delicious treats, originally from the Campania region, are a beloved dessert across Italy, especially in Naples, where pastry shops prepare them in abundance for the occasion.Made from light and airy choux pastry, zeppole are traditionally deep-fried to achieve a crisp, golden exterior while remaining soft inside. They are then generously filled with velvety crema pasticcera and topped with a signature garnish: wild black cherries in syrup.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk - (IMPORTANT: The total weight of the eggs, without the shell, must be 170 g / 6 oz)
- 60 g unsalted butter - ~½ stick
- 250 ml water - 1 cup
- 150 g flour - ~1 ¼ cups
- ⅙ teaspoon salt
For Crema Pasticcera (Italian Pastry Cream) - 350 g (1 ½ cups)
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 g granulated sugar - 4 tablespoons
- 15 g flour - ~2 tablespoons
- 35 g corn starch - 3 ¾ tablespoons
- 250 ml milk - 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean or zest of ½ lemo
For Frying
- 1 lier vegetable oil - ~4 cups, for frying
For Decoration
- 6 black cherries in syrup (Amarena Fabbri) in syrup (Amarena Fabbri)
- icing sugar
Instructions
Make Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera)
- In a saucepan, heat the milk with either vanilla or lemon zest, depending on your preference. Bring it to just below boiling point.
- Meanwhile, in another saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined.
- Sift in the two flours and mix until smooth.
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg-sugar-flour mixture while stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
- Place the saucepan over low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens (about 3-4 minutes).
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap touches the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator.
Make the Dough
- In a saucepan, combine the water, chopped butter, and fine salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the butter is fully melted.
- Once the liquid reaches a boil, add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously. The mixture will become thick and difficult to stir—this is normal.
- Keep stirring until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer the dough to a bowl. Let it cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 whole eggs and 1 extra yolk. The total weight of the eggs should be approximately 170 g (6 oz).
- Once the dough has cooled, gradually add the beaten eggs in batches. Stir well after each addition before adding more. At first, the eggs will be difficult to mix in, as the dough is quite firm, but keep working until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform. The final dough should be creamy and smooth, yet still hold its shape.
Shaping the Zeppole
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. TIP: To make filling the piping bag easier, place it inside a tall, stable container.
- Pipe circles of dough onto a sheet of parchment paper, about 6-7 cm (2 ⅓ - 2 ¾ inches) in diameter, leaving enough space between each.
- For each zeppola, pipe two or more overlapping rings of dough on top of each other: If using a small piping tip, you may need up to four rounds; If using a larger tip, two layers should be enough.
- Cut out individual squares of parchment paper around each zeppola. This makes them easier to handle when frying.
Frying the Zeppole
- In a deep frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot, heat frying oil to 170-180°C (338-356°F). Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure accuracy.
- Using the parchment paper as support, carefully lower one or two zeppole at a time into the hot oil.
- After a few seconds, use tongs to gently pull away the parchment paper.
- Fry the zeppole for about 2 minutes without turning them. Then, carefully flip them and fry for another 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the zeppole onto a tray lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Filling and Decorating
- Place the warm zeppole on a serving dish and lightly dust them with powdered sugar.
- Fill a clean piping bag with the cooled pastry cream. TIP: Again, placing the piping bag in a tall container can help keep it steady while filling.
- Pipe pastry cream into the center of each zeppola, making a decorative swirl on top.
- Finish by placing one or more black cherries in syrup on top, along with a small drizzle of their syrup. Your Zeppole di San Giuseppe are now ready to be enjoyed!
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 206mgSodium: 184mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 581IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 2mg
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