Castagnole - Italian Carnival Cookies/Fritters

By Maverick19

These Italian Carnival Cookies are named after the Italian Castagna, or chestnut. They resemble chestnuts after they are cooked. Sometimes flavored with anise liquor, these are a traditional favorite. You can also fill them with pastry cream, recipe included.

Ingredients

• Castagnole:
• Recipe Yields 60-80 castagnole, depending on size.
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp liquor, rum, anise, etc (you can substitute extract)
• zest of 1/2 a lemon, finely chopped
• oil for frying (2 inches deep in pot)
• confectioners or granulated sugar to dust the castagnole
• Pastry Cream Filler:
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 whole eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Preparation

Step 1

Pastry Cream:
1. Place half the sugar in a mixing bowl and mix with the cornstarch.

2. Slowly add the eggs and yolks and mix until all is incorporated.

3. Bring milk, cream, the rest of the sugar and scraped vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Add half of the hot liquid to the yolk mixture.

4. Place mixture back in to the rest of the cream and place over medium heat and bring to a rolling boil while whisking very fast. Whisk for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat and then transfer to a bowl. The pastry cream should be a little thick.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and cool into the refrigerator.

Castagnole:
1. Mix the dry ingredients together, except the zest, and sieve them together into a bowl. Add the eggs, rum, butter and zest and mix until you have a soft smooth dough. Knead for a few minutes.

2. Form the dough into little balls the size of a large cherry. Heat the oil while doing this.

3. The oil is ready when it reaches between 300-350 degrees. If the oil is too hot, they will brown too quickly, which will leave the center half cooked. Fry a few castagnole at a time, until golden brown and puffed up.

4. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels until cool. Dust with sugar.

5. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tube and pipe a small amount of cream into the center.