Red Berry Struffoli

Name: Red Berry Struffoli
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Eggs medium 3; Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups; Sugar 5 tsp; Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful; Oranges 1; Lime peel to taste; Fine salt 1 pinch; Raspberries 2 cups; Honey 7 tsp; Meringues to taste; Dark chocolate to melt to taste; Dried raspberries to taste; Raspberries fresh to taste; Sunflower seed oil to taste

it de fr es br

608

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 608
Carbohydrates g 70.2
of which sugars g 32.1
Protein g 11.1
Fats g 31.4
of which saturated fat g 5.13
Fiber g 7.7
Cholesterol mg 103
Sodium mg 257

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Average
Note + 1 hour of resting in the fridge

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Roberto Di Pinto

So here's the thing, this struffoli recipe from Campania gives a classic traditional Italian dessert a really fun twist with some red fruits. I mean, in Naples, struffoli is pretty much on every table during the holidays, especially Christmas. You'll typically see a heap of little dough balls that are crispy outside but stay tender inside, all glued together with sweet honey. Now, this version shakes things up with a raspberry glaze. And you know what? It adds a tangy edge that balances the honey’s sweetness while giving a pop of color. Love that! It gets even better with crushed meringues, melted chocolate, and fresh raspberries on top—making it feel both fancy and inviting. These aren't your average Italian honey balls—they mix tradition with chef-level creativity, so everyone gets a taste of something special, for sure.

Across Campania, struffoli really really brings families together to roll and fry all those dough balls. The kitchen fills with laughter and the smell of golden, frying dough. The red fruit version adds a whole new layer of fun. And the raspberry glaze? It’s not something you find everywhere. Decorating this pile with meringue crumbles and melted chocolate totally turns it into a centerpiece. The moist dough inside and the crispy shell make every bite festive, especially with that little sour hit from the berries. Perfect for big holiday dinners or even just a chill get-together with friends. Everyone can pull off pieces, share stories—so fun—and enjoy one of the most cheerful holiday dessert recipes from southern Italy. Whether you call them Neapolitan pastries or festive Italian treats, these honey-glazed dough balls always bring smiles. Seriously good. It’s a dessert that turns into an event, no question, with its mix of flavors and all those hands reaching in for another bite.

INGREDIENTS

608

Calories per serving

Eggs 3 - medium

Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g)

Sugar 5 tsp (20 g)

Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful

Oranges 1

Lime peel to taste

Fine salt 1 pinch

For the glaze: Raspberries 2 cups (250 g); Honey 7 tsp (50 g)

For the decoration: Meringues to taste; Dark chocolate to taste - to melt; Dried raspberries to taste; Raspberries to taste - fresh

For frying: Sunflower seed oil to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Red Berry Struffoli

To prepare the red berry struffoli, start with the dough preparation. Break the eggs into a large bowl 1, add the sugar 2, and a pinch of salt 3.

Also, add a drizzle of oil 4, grated orange peel (approximately a quarter will be needed) 5, and grated lime zest 6.

Then add the orange juice 7 and start mixing the mixture using a whisk 8. Pour the flour all at once into the mixture 9

and start working it with your hands, still inside the bowl 10. As soon as it becomes quite compact, transfer it to a generously floured work surface 11 and continue working it, kneading with your hands with just a few movements to obtain a smooth and homogeneous result 12.

At this point, wrap your dough with plastic wrap 13 and place it in the refrigerator to rest for an hour. After the indicated time, take the dough and sprinkle it with more flour, just enough to help with the dough's preparation 14. From this, cut pieces of dough into ropes about 3/8 inch thick, lengthening each piece of dough 15 and slightly hitting it on the counter by holding the ends, to make the dough more elastic and easier to stretch.

Using a knife, cut each rope into pieces about 1/4 inch wide 16. Then, using the palm of your hand, roll each piece of dough one at a time 17 to give it a spherical shape 18, typical of struffoli.

At this point, you can start frying. Heat the seed oil in a saucepan until it reaches a temperature of 340°F, and only when it is hot, use a slotted spoon to slide the pieces of dough into the hot oil 19. To avoid lowering the oil temperature too much, it is advisable to cook a few pieces at a time. Occasionally turn your struffoli using a slotted spoon, and as soon as they are golden brown, remove them from the oil (it will take about 5 minutes) 20 and transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels 21.

Once the struffoli are fried, proceed to prepare the glaze. First, blend the raspberries using an immersion blender 22; then, strain the pulp 23 to obtain a smooth puree 24.

Pour the honey into a warm but not hot pan 25, add the struffoli, and mix with a spatula until completely glazed 26. Add the just-strained raspberry puree and mix to coat the struffoli evenly 27.

Sauté for a few more minutes 28, transfer the struffoli to a serving plate 29 along with some of the sauce, and decorate with some crumbled meringue 30.

Add some dehydrated raspberries 31, then finish the plate with a bit of melted chocolate 32, fresh raspberries, and serve your red berry struffoli 33!

Storage

You can store fried but not glazed struffoli in a tin box for a week; alternatively, you can freeze them. Once glazed, it is recommended to consume them immediately.