Zeppole & Chocolate Dipper
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of 1 orange
- 3 cups peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1 cup water, the butter, and salt and bring to a boil (BTB).
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
- Cook until the mixture forms a ball, has a slightly sweaty sheen to it, and pulls away from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes (the mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough so it doesnt cook the eggs when added).
- Using an electric mixer or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs one at a time; be sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next egg.
- Add the orange zest and beat for another few seconds to combine.
- Pour the peanut oil into a large saucepan over medium-high heat; the oil should come 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
- To see if the oil is hot enough, drop a little ball of batter into it.
- If it sizzles and floats quickly, youre good to go.
- If the batter burns or the oil begins to smoke, its too hot, so reduce the heat.
- While the oil heats up, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
- When the oil is hot, drop tablespoons of batter into the pan without overcrowding.
- Cook the zeppole until they rise and get very brown and puffy, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop the zeppole out of the oil.
- Shake off the excess oil, then toss them immediately into the bowl of cinnamon-sugar and roll them around.
- Transfer to a serving dish.
- Work in batches to finish the rest of the batter.
- If the zeppole begin to color too quickly, reduce the heat; if they arent sizzling when they hit the oil, raise the heat.
- Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil (BTB), then reduce to a simmer (RTS).
- Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl that will sit comfortably on the saucepan without touching the water (a double boiler setup).
- Bring the pan to medium heat and melt the chocolate.
- Add the heavy cream, butter, and corn syrup and stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined (this is a pretty quick process), then remove from the heat.
- Transfer the warm chocolate sauce to a serving dish and serve it with a platter of the sugar-coated zeppole.
sugar, butter, kosher salt, flour, eggs, orange, peanut oil, cinnamon, chocolate, heavy cream, unsalted butter, light corn syrup
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/zeppole-chocolate-dipper-378223 (may not work)