ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE AL FORNO : How to Make Baked Saint Joseph Day Italian Cream Puffs

Let’s look together at baked St. Joseph’s zeppole di San Giuseppe, a recipe for pastries filled with custard, decorated with the classic black cherry on top and a dusted with plenty of powdered sugar.

St. Joseph’s zeppole are a traditional pastry originally from Campania that is prepared for Father’s Day on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day.

The recipe for baked zeppole is not difficult but it is necessary to follow the step-by-step procedure for making the choux pastry, both in processing the ingredients and baking.

This will result in fluffy and mouth-watering zeppole!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Traditional Treat: A classic pastry tied to Italian heritage and celebrations.
• Light & Fluffy: Perfectly baked choux pastry shells with a creamy custard filling.
• Versatile: Can be customized with various fillings and toppings.

Cooking Time

• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 12–14 zeppole

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry (Zeppole Shells)

• 2 cups water
• 6 tbsp butter or 3 1/2 tbsp lard
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 6 large eggs

For the Custard Filling

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup potato starch (or cornstarch as a substitute)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract

For Garnish

• Maraschino cherries or black cherries in syrup
• Powdered sugar

VIDEO RECIPE:

Step-by-Step Method

1. Preheat and Prepare the Baking Sheet

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Grease and flour a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.

2. Make the Choux Pastry

1. Sift the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Heat the Liquids: In a heavy saucepan, bring the water, butter, and lard to a boil. Once melted, remove the pan from the heat.
3. Incorporate the Flour: Add the sifted flour mixture all at once to the hot liquid and stir vigorously until it forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Add Eggs: Let the mixture cool slightly, then beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
5. Pipe the Zeppole: Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round nozzle. Pipe 2-inch circles onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake the Zeppole

• Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Once baked, carefully slit the sides of each zeppola with a small knife to release steam, preventing sogginess.
• Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

4. Prepare the Custard Filling

1. Mix Starch and Sugar: In a bowl, whisk together potato starch (or cornstarch) and sugar.
2. Heat Milk and Butter: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted.
3. Thicken the Custard: Gradually add the starch mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat until it thickens (about 2 minutes).
4. Add Egg Yolks: Remove the saucepan from the heat, then slowly whisk in the egg yolks. Return briefly to low heat to cook slightly.
5. Flavor the Custard: Stir in almond extract, transfer to a bowl, and cover with buttered wax paper to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Assemble the Zeppole

1. Fill the Shells: Slice the top third off each cooled zeppola. Pipe or spoon custard into the bottom portion of each pastry.
2. Replace Tops: Place the top back on each zeppola.

6. Garnish and Serve

1. Top with Cherries: Add a maraschino or black cherry on top of each zeppola.
2. Dust with Sugar: Generously dust with powdered sugar.

Tips for Success

• Crispy Shells: Make sure to slit the shells immediately after baking to release steam.
• Custard Consistency: Keep stirring while thickening the custard to avoid lumps.
• Customization: Swap custard for chocolate or whipped cream for variety.

Nutritional Information (Per Zeppola)

Buon Appetito!

These baked St. Joseph’s Zeppole are a delightful tribute to Italian tradition, perfect for celebrating special occasions or enjoying a sweet treat. Pair them with a cup of espresso for an authentic Italian experience. Enjoy!

Looking for something else? Check out some of our other delicous pastry recipes:

• Rum Soaked Baba Napoletano Recipe
• Jam Filled Bocconotti Pastry Recipe
• Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake
• Strudel di Mele (Apple Strudle) Recipe
• Custard Filled Pasticciotto Recipe

Zeppole Di San Giuseppe Al Forno Recipe

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Ingredients

  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of water
• 6 tbsp of butter or 3 1/2 tbsp of lard
• 2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/8 tsp of salt
• 6 eggs

For the filling

• 2 cups of milk
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of potato starch
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp of almond extract

For garnish

• cherries
• icing sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
• Grease and flour a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Cream Puff Shells

• Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, heat the water, add the butter and lard, and when melted, remove pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer to blend each in well before adding the next egg.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain nozzle with some of the cream puff mixture. Squeeze out 1 1/4-inch puffs about 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake the cream puffs in preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer the cream puffs to cooling racks.

Cream Filling

• In a small bowl, mix the potato starch (or cornstarch, if using) and sugar for the filling. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and butter over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
• Add the starch mixture and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly add the eggs, beating well. Return the mixture to the heat for just a few seconds to cook the mixture, being careful not to scramble the eggs.
• Pour the filling into a bowl, add the almond extract, and blend.
• Cover with buttered waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve

• Use a small knife to cut off the top third of each cream puff.
• Add about 2 teaspoons filling (more if the puffs are larger), replace the tops, and put puffs on a decorative platter.
• Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.

Variation:

• Fill cream puffs with jam, chocolate cream filling, or ice cream. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the top and place a maraschino cherry over each Zeppoli, instead of confectioners’ sugar.