Zeppole
Make these irresistible zeppole with only a few simple ingredients. Fried to golden perfection and dusted with sugar, you won't be able to stop at just one.
Servings 36 servings
Calories 54kcal
Equipment
- Electric or stand mixer
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ½ cup water (120mL)
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese (124g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, ricotta, butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat until butter melts, stirring constantly. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour until the dough comes together in a ball. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a film starts to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.
- Place dough in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the dough on low speed for 1 minute. (Dough needs to cool off to 145°) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Continue beating an additional 2 minutes or until dough reaches a thick ribbon-like consistency.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°. In 3 batches, carefully spoon dough by tablespoons into the oil. Cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, turning over the ones that have not turned themselves. Using a slotted spoon, remove from oil and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to beat the dough for at least a minute before adding eggs. Beating the dough helps it cools off, so the eggs don’t cook as they incorporate.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer on medium speed to make the dough.
- Use two spoons to make the dough balls. Scoop the dough with one spoon and use another spoon to help scrape the dough into the oil and help form a ball shape.
- Instead of the spoon method, you can place the dough in a large pastry bag, cut one corner, and pipe out the batter, cutting off snippets of dough into the hot oil, similar to when frying churros. Be careful not to splash the oil as the dough drops in.
- Keep oil temperature above 350°F at all times. Do not add too many balls into the oil, or it’ll decrease the temperature. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough will absorb too much oil, making the zeppole greasy.
- A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help prevent the oil temperature from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly. I recommend using a scale. If you are not using a scale to measure the flour, then be sure to fluff the flour with a spoon and then sprinkle it into the measuring cups before leveling it off with a knife.
Nutrition
Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg