Grandma Helen's Struffoli

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 fluid ounce whiskey (rye, bourbon, or canadian is fine but not scotch)
• 3 cups honey (traditionaly we have always used golden blossom brand if not available use pure clover honey)
• oil (for deep frying) or shortening (for deep frying)
• multi colored sprinkles (these are the little round hard sprinkles rather than the soft elongated ones used on ice cream cone)

Recipe

• 1 mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• 2 add all liquid ingredients (except honey) to dry to form a dough.
• 3 knead dough well to incorporate all ingredients.
• 4 for balls roll dough out in 1/4 inch round strips like pencils.
• 5 cut the pieces at small intervals with an angle cut.
• 6 how far apart you make the cut is your judgment call, as the smaller the spacing the smaller the balls and vice versa.
• 7 mom likes the look leaving them as is with the angle cut giving a unique shape to the balls as they fry.
• 8 if you prefer perfectly rounded balls, you can roll the pieces in the palms of your hands like miniature meatballs before frying.
• 9 for ribbons cut some of the dough in flat strips about 1/2 inch wide preferably using a crimped edge cutting wheel as it gives a fancy serrated edge to them.
• 10 form loops or bow shapes with the ribbons and deep fry balls and ribbons separately until golden brown (ribbons as they are flat will cook quicker than the balls).
• 11 drain on absorbent paper.
• 12 heat honey in a deep pot until it starts to thin out and become pourable.
• 13 remove from heat.
• 14 dip bows and ribbons in warm honey and set aside.
• 15 add balls to the honey and toss to coat.
• 16 transfer balls to holiday platter and top with the ribbons and bows.
• 17 or you can mound the balls to look like a christmas tree and decorate with bows on the sides.
• 18 sprinkle with multi colored sprinkles.