Christmas treats

So many foods... all those Christmas cookies to start with. Christmas Eve dinner that includes the decidedly non-vegan dishes of Tortellini Alfredo and sausage, peppers & onions (I avoid eating the sausage). Shrimp scampi is part of Christmas Day dinner.

After a month of ingesting a fair amount of dairy cookies and pizza, when January 1 rolls around I'm fully ready to return to my normal and far healthier eating patterns. No meat, fish about once a month, and very little dairy other than egg whites. Even so, I do love Christmas food debauchery.
 

We sometimes had these at Easter too. I put a link to the webpage the recipe is on below the picture, to see pics of the prep

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls
​



Ingredients
STRUFFOLI DOUGH

  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 5 3/4 tablespoons butter (melted)
  • 1 zest orange
  • 2 3/4 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Orange Juice
  • 3 eggs

TOPPINGS

  • 10 1/2 ounces honey
  • sprinkles
  • slivered almonds


Instructions

  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, the baking powder and the salt, then add the butter, orange zest, sugar and Grand Marnier (or orange juice), start to combine with a fork until crumbly.
  • Add the eggs one at a time and mix to combine, when almost combined move the mix to a lightly floured flat surface add an extra 1 - 1/2 tablespoons flour and knead together to form a soft dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest 30 minutes.
  • Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into thin ropes 1/4 inch in diameter. Cut to make small cubes and roll each cube into a ball slightly smaller than a marble. Try to make them all the same size.
  • In a medium pot add 2-3 inches of oil and heat to 350°F add the struffoli (in batches) turning a couple of times and when golden drain on a paper towel lined plate and let cool.
  • While struffoli are cooling in a large pan on low / medium heat, heat the honey until warm and slightly watery. Add the cooled struffoli and mix to coat, then sprinkle with sprinkles and slivered almonds.
  • Then form the honey balls into desired shape, dome, donut (see video)** pyramid. Let the finished Struffoli sit until the honey solidifies (approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours) and then serve. Enjoy!
  • **lightly oil the glass before placing in the middle of the plate.

    strufolli-pict-1-of-1.jpg

​
https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/struffoli/
 
Marie5656 said:
We sometimes had these at Easter too. I put a link to the webpage the recipe is on below the picture, to see pics of the prep

Struffoli Italian Honey Balls




​
https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/struffoli/
Click to expand...

My grandmother (Sicilian) used to make these but they never floated my boat, not even as a child. Always been meh about honey.

Italian Rainbow bars and Pignoli cookies? Ahhh.... now you're talking! Love just about anything with almond paste or marzipan!
 

StarSong said:
My grandmother (Sicilian) used to make these but they never floated my boat, not even as a child. Always been meh about honey.

Italian Rainbow bars and Pignoli cookies? Ahhh.... now you're talking! Love just about anything with almond paste or marzipan!
Click to expand...

I am half Sicilian too. Funny thing, I HATED those rainbow bars. So, if we were together we would both have something we liked. With the honey balls, interesting thing was that few people on my Italian side made then, but my Polish aunt (moms sis in law) made them every year.
 
sfogliatelle !

image.jpg


ab6749167fb59dc1e27fb8f6c49b1a47.jpg
 
RadishRose said:
I have seen the "lobster tails", too, Not big on Italian cookies but the pastry is to die for!
Click to expand...

LOL, I am not much for them either. When I got married, my former sis in law wanted to give us an Italian Cookie Cake for our reception, as our wedding gift. I think I ate a couple of the cookies, guests ate a lot. Divided what was left over among the guests
 
Just to add a historical perspective, I'll always remember how my father told me that it was considered a big deal and a real treat to get an orange in their stocking at Christmas. Times were different then and citrus fruits were not readily available year round at grocery stores.
 
Fyrefox said:
Just to add a historical perspective, I'll always remember how my father told me that it was considered a big deal and a real treat to get an orange in their stocking at Christmas. Times were different then and citrus fruits were not readily available year round at grocery stores.
Click to expand...

My mother grew up in NY during the 1920s & 30s and it was the same for her. Refrigerated trucking wasn't what it is now. Oranges had to be shipped up from Florida.

Lucky me to live in So Cal. I can just pick them off our backyard tree this time of year!
 
Fyrefox said:
Just to add a historical perspective, I'll always remember how my father told me that it was considered a big deal and a real treat to get an orange in their stocking at Christmas. Times were different then and citrus fruits were not readily available year round at grocery stores.
Click to expand...

My mother grew up in NY during the 1920s & 30s and it was the same for her. Refrigerated trucking wasn't what it is now. Oranges had to be shipped up from Florida.

Lucky me to live in So Cal. I can just pick them off our backyard tree this time of year!

Marie: I wasn't a huge fan of most Italian cookies, but I did love the ones with marzipan base. And I adored those gorgeous little marzipan candies that were styled like little pieces of fruit. Didn't matter the shape or color, they all tasted the same to me: DELICIOUS! Most Italian pastries didn't float my boat either, but the sfogliatelle was an exception. Ugh on the rum-soaked pastries and candies. I couldn't drink anything with strong rum flavoring until I was in my 40s or 50s and still pass on rum-laced foods.
 
Gary O' said:
Homemade eggnog

Young lady down the path makes the best, the very best

Chilled to slush

xxcVkPf.jpg


She promised me some this year

Some begging and wheedling was involved
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I got the nog!!!

wOS0v5L.jpg


This stuff is so so rich
I leave it out overnight
Even at -10° F temps, it’s not frozen, just slush

Aaaand, sooooo, sooooo good
I can only do a couple spoonful’s at a time
 
StarSong said:
Gary - that looks a-may-zing! Lucky ducky you to have such a generous and talented neighbor!
Click to expand...

That little gal is extremely talented
And tougher’n nails
Good lookin’ to boot
She’ll make some guy a great husband

I’ll be posting some things about her and her folks in my diary
 

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