St Joseph Zeppole or Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

St Joseph Zeppole or Zeppole di San Giuseppe are Italian choux pastries filled with pastry cream, and traditionally prepared on Father's Day.

Print Recipe

Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

80 g butter cut into chunks
125 g water
½ teaspoon sugar optional
a pinch salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest finely minced, optional
125 g flour
3 medium eggs

To decorate:

200 g Italian pastry cream
15 black cherries (amarene) in syrup
1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Place the butter, water, salt, sugar (optional) and lemon zest (optional) in a saucepan, whisk gently and bring to a boil over low heat.
When the water is starting to boil add the sifted flour all at once. and vigorously mix the flour in. Using a wooden spoon mix until the dough comes together into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Using a wooden spoon mix until the dough and cook for 1-3 minutes, until it comes together into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer the dough onto a marble surface and spread it to let it cool. You can also place the dough in a bowl, and then flatten the dough along the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough into a bowl. Whisk the eggs in a jar, then slowly incorporate them into the dough, whilst whisking, until you have a creamy, dense shiny dough that is pipeable.
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C and arrange the oven tray onto the middle shelf.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a large star-shaped tip. Pipe the dough into 3-inch sized circles (you can make one circle or two overlapping ones) onto a tray covered with parchment paper.
Bake the zeppole for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 360°F/ 180°C and bake for 20 minutes. Open the oven door slightly, and let the zeppole bake for another 5 minutes.
Transfer the zeppole on a cooling rack, then cut them horizontally, and fill them with pastry cream. Close, and pipe more cream on top, decorate with cherries and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Notes

Please note that all my baking recipes are tested with gram measurements, which are more accurate than cup measurements. US cup amounts are provided, but for best results please always use a scale when measuring ingredients.

Baking tips

I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.

Cut the butter into small cubes, and make sure it's melted before the water starts to boil.

Don't add the eggs while the dough is too hot. This can cook the eggs, and give a frittata taste to your zeppole.

To pipe the pastry dough and the pastry cream I use a large star tip, but feel free to use whatever tip you have at hand.

Make sure you leave enough space between the zeppole as they’ll double in size in the oven.

Do not open the oven whilst the zeppole are baking, this could make them collapse.

Storage tips

The non-stuffed zeppole can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Once filled, I recommend keeping them in the refrigerator and consuming them within a couple of days at the most.

Nutrition