My Mom's Strufoli

This is an old fashioned Italian dessert that we make every year for Christmas! It's basically fried dough coated with honey and multicolored nonpareils. This recipe has been in my family for many generations!

There are many strufoli recipes on the Internet, but this recipe is unique because we add whiskey to the dough! And we make the strufoli into pretty twisted stick shapes. Most people make them into ball shapes. What is also wonderful about my Mom's recipe is that these strufoli can be baked or fried...and they taste just as delicious either way! A nice crunch and slightly sweet! Perfect with a cup of coffee!


My Mom's Strufoli

Ingredients:
2 c  all purpose flour
3 lg  eggs-beaten
1 1/2 Tbsp  whiskey
1/2 Tbsp  pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp  Crisco shortening
2 tsp  baking powder
6 oz  honey
3 Tbsp  nonpareils-multicolored
corn oil-if you choose to fry the strufoli

Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Mix all wet ingredients together.
Then mix both together until dough forms into a ball.
Knead dough for 5 min. Separate dough into 3 equal pieces.

Take a section of dough and roll out to a 1/8 inch thick rectangle.
Cut into 1/2"wide x 2"long strips.
Twist the strips and set aside covered so that they don't dry out.
Do this for all the dough.

Deep fry at 375 degrees F. until golden brown.
Blot on paper towels.  
        
To coat with honey put fried or baked strufoli in a large pot. Drizzle on top with honey. Heat and toss until well coated. Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with nonpareils.

THIS CAN ALSO BE BAKED INSTEAD OF FRIED. JUST TAKE THE CUT TWISTED STRIPS AND PLACE THEM ON A PARCHMENT LINED COOKIE SHEET. BAKE AT 375 DEGREES F. FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN AND CRUNCHY. THEN FOLLOW THE SAME DIRECTIONS TO COAT THEM WITH HONEY AND NONPARELIS.

This recipe makes one medium sized platter full. Enough for about 6 people. I always double the recipe because it goes quickly!