Description
These classic Italian honey balls feature a crunchy, golden exterior and a soft, citrus-infused center. Perfectly glazed in a sweet honey syrup and decorated with festive sprinkles, they make an elegant and traditional holiday centerpiece that is surprisingly simple to prepare.
Ingredients
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh orange zest
- All-purpose flour
- Light olive oil for frying
- Honey
- Nonpareils (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, sugar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl, then grate the orange zest directly into the mixture.
- Slowly add the all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until a firm dough begins to form.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth, then wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for one hour.
- Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll each into a long rope approximately 18 inches in length.
- Cut the ropes into small pieces about half an inch long, keeping them small as they will puff up during cooking.
- Heat an inch of light olive oil in a deep skillet to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a paper towel-lined tray.
- Fry the dough balls in batches, stirring gently until golden brown, then remove and drain on the paper towels.
- In a separate wide skillet, simmer honey and sugar together for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and glossy.
- Add the fried dough balls to the honey glaze and stir over low-medium heat for 5 minutes until completely coated.
Notes
To ensure the most delicate texture, try to keep the dough balls as small as possible when cutting, as they expand significantly in the hot oil. If you find the honey glaze is hardening too quickly while you are decorating, you can keep the skillet on the lowest possible heat setting to maintain its fluidity while you arrange the pieces.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian