Carnival Chocolate Chiacchiere: the Grandma's Recipe
Get ready to meet Carnival Chocolate Chiacchiere: the traditional Chiacchiere but coated in rich, decadent chocolate. It’s Carnival time, and what better way to celebrate than with a delightful twist on a classic Italian treat? Chocolate Chiacchiere add a touch of luxury to this classic dessert. The contrast between the crispy pastry and the rich, melted chocolate creates a unique taste experience that will delight both young and old.
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g butter softened and cubed
- 2 eggs
- 40 g sugar
- 5 g baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon your favorite liquor
- 100 g dark chocolate
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sifted all-purpose flour and the softened, cubed butter.
- Add the sugar, eggs, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and liquor. Mix all the ingredients well until you have a thick, sticky dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until you have a smooth, shiny ball. Dust with a little flour if necessary.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
- After the resting time, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide the dough into 2–3 pieces so you can roll it out more easily.
- Roll out the first part into a very thin sheet, about 1 mm thick. The thinner the sheet, the crispier the chiacchiere will be.
- Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the dough into strips about 5 cm wide and 7-10 cm long. In the center of each strip, make a vertical cut with a sharp knife, but don’t cut all the way through to the ends.
- Repeat with the remaining parts of dough: you should get about 25–28 pieces.
- Fry Chiacchiere in plenty of hot sunflower oil, flipping them over to ensure even cooking on both sides.
- As soon as they turn a beautiful light golden brown on the surface, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and gently blot away any excess oil.
- Once cooled, it’s time to decorate your Chiacchiere with chocolate. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, and drizzle the melted chocolate over the fritters, letting it drip off a spoon to create a thin stream. Create elegant zigzag or swirl patterns on the surface of the carnival fritters.
- Once the chocolate has solidified, you can enjoy your Chocolate Chiacchiere!