Cicerchiata: The Italian Carnival Dessert That Sparks Joy
Cicerchiata is a traditional Carnival dessert, easy and fun to prepare. It’s an opportunity to enjoy a carefree moment together as a family. Cicerchiata is made from small balls of dough that are fried and then mixed with honey and almonds.
Ingredients
- 300 g 00 flour or all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- Sunflower seed oil for frying
- 300 g multi-flower honey
- A handful of toasted almonds
- Colorful sprinkles for decoration
- A pinch of cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Prepare the dough by combining flour, eggs, sugar, oil, a pinch of salt, and baking powder. Use a fork to initially mix the ingredients, then knead everything together by hand until you have a soft, smooth, cohesive dough.
- Cut the dough into thin strips, then roll the strips into long ropes about the thickness of a finger.
- Cut these ropes into small pieces, roughly the size of chickpeas, then patiently roll each piece into a small ball.
- Lightly coat the dough balls in flour.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan. Once hot, fry the dough balls in batches until they are golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and drain on paper towel.
- In a saucepan, warm the honey over low heat.
- Add the fried dough balls and almonds, then stir continuously to evenly coat the dough balls in the honey, ensuring it does not remain at the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the honey-coated dough balls into cupcake liners and, optionally, sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon.
- While still sticky, decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Enjoy!