Wonders for the eyes but above all for the palate; San Giuseppe's zeppole are the cakes that makes all fathers happy on their daddy day.
A dessert that tradition strictly requires fried but which, over time, has known many variations like the one have decided to make you prepare today..
But what are origins of this particular italian dessert?
History
The only certain datum of this dessert concerns its first appearance dated 1837 in the historical treatise The theoretical practical cuisine by Ippolito Cavalcanti.
The remaining news is often the result of stories from different places and differ from each other in terms of content and information. Another characteristic common to zeppole and respected in all variants is the choux pastry, the mixture of water, flour, butter and eggs, widely used in pastry, in particular, to make cream puffs.
Choux pastry: what it is
The choux pastry; also called puff pastry, its a basic dough of French origin, made with water, a little flour, butter and eggs.
The peculiarity of this preparation is the double cooking: first in a saucepan and then in the oven where the dough dries and swells, assuming the classic shape of an empty cream puff inside and perfect for filling but also the speed of the preparation of the dough: the flour in fact, it is poured all in one shot and when comes off the sides of the pan you can insert the eggs.
In classic pastry, this type of preparation is used to make both cream puffs but also èclairs made in elongated shape and stuffed with different creams, both stuffed and glazed profitteroles, Paris breast (a zeppola cake) and zeppole too.
Delicious, light and soft despite being baked in the oven!
Follow the illustrated recipe for a perfect result..
Ingredients and variants
Over time, as with all successful preparations, many variations have arisen that also change from region to region.
There is the itrana zeppola; characteristic of Latina that instead of sugar includes honey, the Apulian fried in lard, the Sicilian zeppola which is prepared using rice and cinnamon, that of Calabria stuffed with ricotta.
In short, many variations among which the healthy version could not be missing, to be cooked in the oven without frying, based on oat flour and covered with sugar-free custard.
Baked Zeppole: an healthy version
To make the sweet character of Father's Day I started with the classic preparation of choux pastry using the Smile Crunch biscuit flavored oatmeal with which I replaced the 00 flour provided in the traditional zeppole, the clarified butter, naturally lactose-free, instead of the classic one by removing the sugar from the ingredients.
Once cooked and cooled, I decided to fill the zeppole with the custard made with a Smile Crunch oatmeal but, in this preparation, chose a cream taste.
Healthy, crumbly, sugar-free and greedy to lose your mind..
Ingredients
For the choux pastry:
150g of biscuit flavored oatmeal
3 medium eggs (52g 55g 52g)
250g of water
100g of ghee (lactose-free clarified butter)
A pinch of salt
For the custard:
250g sugar-free almond milk (or your favorite)
2 egg yolks
20g of cream flavored oatmeal
Vial of lemon or zest flavoring
Method
Put the water, ghee and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.
Bring to the fire and, over low heat, melt completely.
So let's combine the flour all in one go, turning the mixture until it completely detaches from the sides of the saucepan.
Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture into a container, letting cool without running the risk of cooking the eggs that will add if boiling.
So let's add eggs and don't add the second until the first is completely absorbed.
The dough must be firm and absolutely not liquid, so if realize that the dough is already perfect and creamy to the second egg, we don't add the third.
A too liquid mixture will not allow the zeppole to swell during cooking and, therefore, the passage of the eggs is essential.
Work the mixture with electric whisk until you get a smooth, light and lump-free cream.
Transfer the cream into a pastry bag equipped with a star tip and turn on the oven at 200° (ventilated).
Make the zeppole, spaced apart because they will swell during cooking, on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Make 3 turns of cream on top of each other to rise in order to create a circle always leaving a small gap in the center.
Cook for 15 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 190° and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Let it cool completely in the oven with the door half closed.
Meanwhile, let's prepare the custard.
In a saucepan pour the milk, egg yolks, lemon and the cream-flavored oatmeal.
Turn quickly and bring to the fire.
Cook, over low heat, constantly turning the mixture to prevent it from sticking until you get a thick cream without lumps (if they should occur, pass the cream in the mini primer for a few minutes).
Turn and cover the cream with the contact film.
Refrigerate until ready for use.
So let's put the custard inside a pastry bag and make the zeppole.
Fill in the center then making a smudge on the surface.
Add a raspberry (or sour cherries in syrup) to the center of each one and celebrate father's day.
