Zeppole di San Giuseppe are Italian choux pastry cakes, filled with cream and black cherries, and traditionally made for Father's Day.
On father's day, in Italy, we celebrate by making traditional zeppole di San Giuseppe.
These choux pastry cakes, are filled with Italian pastry cream and decorated with black cherries.
They are so-called because they are prepared on the day of St. Joseph, March 19, which is also Father's day in Italy.
The origin of the St Joseph's zeppole is Neapolitan, but over the past years, they became incredibly popular everywhere in Italy.
The traditional Neapolitan cuisine offers two versions of this dessert depending on the cooking method: you can either bake the zeppole in the oven or fry them in oil.
I prefer the baked zeppole version, which is lighter and quicker to make, but I'll leave both cooking options below, so you can pick your favorite.
Find out below how simple it is to prepare the zeppole di San Giuseppe at home!
INGREDIENTS
You only need a bunch of basic ingredients to make zeppole, most of them are probably in your pantry already:
- butter: go for high-quality unsalted butter, I use Irish butter.
- water: you can use just water or ⅓ of milk and ⅔ of water.
- sugar: it's totally optional, but feel free to add a teaspoon of sugar.
- salt: just a pinch!
- eggs: this recipe specifically calls for medium eggs.
- lemon zest: this is optional, but I like to add ½ teaspoon of fresh finely minced lemon zest.
- crema pastriccera: for the filling you'll need Italian pastry cream, it takes about 15 minutes to make, and I like to prepare it the day before, so it has time to chill and set.
- black cherries: we call them amarene in Italy, you'll find them bottled up in syrup and they're available in most Italian stores, alternatively, substitute them with maraschino cherries.
MORE CREAM FILLING OPTIONS
You can make the traditional vanilla pastry cream recipe, or upgrade the classic version with these variations:
- Chocolate cream: Add 100 g (3.5 oz) of melted dark chocolate, right after you whisk the cream and mix until combined.
- Lemon cream: Add the rind of an organic lemon (avoid the white bitter underneath layer) whilst you heat the milk, then discard it.
- Diplomat cream: Mix in 200 ml (6.7 oz) freshly whipped cream after your crema pasticcera is ready (step 5 of the recipe). Diplomat cream is lighter than pastry cream, with a smoother and less jelly-like texture.
HOW TO MAKE ST JOSEPH'S ZEPPOLE
To make zeppole at home, you'll first need to make the choux pastry, then fill it up with pastry cream and top with wild cherries.
Here's the step-by-step recipe to make things easier:
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full recipe.
- STEP 1 - Place butter, water, salt, sugar (optional) and lemon zest (optional) in a saucepan, whisk and bring to a boil over low heat.
- STEP 2 - Add sifted flour into the pan all at once.
- STEP 3 - Using a wooden spoon mix until the dough comes together into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- STEP 4 - 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.
- STEP 5 - 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 dense shiny batter.
- STEP 6 - 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.
- STEP 7 - Bake for 10 minutes at 400 F/200 C, then lower to 360 F/ 180 C and bake for 20 minutes. Open the oven door slightly, and let zeppole bake for another 5 minutes.
- STEP 8 - 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.
FRIED ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE
You can also make the traditional zeppole by frying them instead of baking them. Here's how to fry zeppole:
- After you have piped the zeppole, transfer them in a preheated oven to 400 F/ 200 C for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large saucepan with enough oil to fill ⅔ of the pan. The oil is ready when it reaches 340 F/ 170 C.
- Add a couple of zeppole at a time. Fry them until they puff up and turn golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a plate covered with kitchen paper.
RECIPE TIPS
- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, this is one of those recipe where the ingredients amount need to be precise.
- 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 cool the batter before adding the eggs, spread it over a marble worktop, or place the dough in a bowl, and then flatten the dough along the sides of the bowl.
- Whisk the eggs in a jar before adding them into the dough.
- 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.
- I do not recommend storing the raw dough.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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Zeppole di San Giuseppe (St Joseph's Zeppole)
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
- 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.
- I do not recommend storing the raw dough.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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