Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 7 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 3 cups pastry cream
• 12 black cherries or fresh fruit

Instructions

1. 1

   Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C). Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   In a medium pot or saucepan on medium heat, add the water, butter, sugar and salt using a whisk or wooden spoon to combine as the butter melts, when it starts to come to a rolling boil remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Mix quickly and combine well with a wooden spoon.

3. 3

   Place the pot back on the low heat and stir the mixture rapidly with a wooden spoon for approximately 2-3 minutes to allow the choux pastry to dry, it is ready when it starts to form a ball, loses its wet appearance and leaves white skin on the bottom of the pot, remove it from the heat.

4. 4

   Transfer the dough to your mixing bowl and with the flat beater attachment start to mix on low for 1-2 minutes until the choux cools enough to add the eggs.

5. 5

   Add one egg at a time and beat well before adding the next egg. Scrape the bowl down after adding each egg. The dough batter should be glossy and creamy and fall in a stream from your paddle.

6. 6

   Using a pastry bag with a medium star tip, pipe the pastry into double medium circles (one on top of the other) on the prepared baking sheet.

7. 7

   Bake for 20-30 minutes (mine were done after 20 minutes). Turn off the oven. Leave cream puffs in the oven to dry, I leave them in overnight to make sure they dry completely.

8. 8

   The next day, slice the zeppole in half horizontally and using the same star tip fill the bottom layer with the cream, place the top of the pastry on top of the cream and fill the center with more cream. Top with a cherry or even fresh fruit. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!