Eggless Zeppoles

Zeppole or zapplas are Italian version of doughnuts and are light,deep fried yeasted flour dough balls.They are toppled with powdered sugar and can also be filled with honey-butter,cream etc.They can be savoury as well in which case they are filled with anchovy.

I had bookmarked the zeppole recipe from SunshineMom where she made a vegan version of zapplas.I followed the recipe as such except that I used diary ingredients and so its not vegan,but eggless.I dipped them in coffee syrup,chocolate and normal powdered sugar.Hearty warm doughnuts are welcome anytime this winter.

Ingredients:
Milk: 3/4 cup - 1 cup
Vanilla : few drops
Sugar :2 tbsp +
Butter: 1.5 tbsp
CornStarch: 1 tsp

All Purpose Flour: 30 tbsp
CornStarch: 2 tbsp
Instant Yeast: 1 tsp
Salt: a pinch

Vegetable Oil: frying

Topping:
Sprinkles
Powdered Sugar
Melted Chocolate
Coffee syrup

Preparation:

In a saucepan mix together 1/2 cup milk,vanilla and 1 tsp cornstarch.Heat this on lowfire stirring till the sauce thickens. Add to it the butter and sugar and stir well till it reaches a custard like consistency.Let it cool to room temp.After adding butter and sugar,I removed it immediately from heat as the mix as warm enough to melt the butter.

In another big bowl,whisk together flour,cornstarch,yeast and salt.To this add the milk mixture and knead to form a dough adding more milk as needed.It took me another 4-6 tbsp apart from the 1/2 cup already added.Put the dough on a lighlty floured surface and knead gently into a soft smooth dough.Keep the dough in a greased bowl and let it rise for about 40 minutes or until doubled.

Once doubled,put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate it.Let it rest for a few minutes.Roll out /shape the dough into a long rope and then pinch out lime sized balls from it.Flatten each ball very slightly and create a hole in the centre using the thumb and index finger.

Place the ball on a lined and greased baking sheet. Repeat the same process for rest of the dough pieces,cover them with an oiled plasticwrap and let them rise for another 40 minutes.

They may double or may rise slighlty.Mine actually did not double the first time,but second time,they rose beautifully and doughnut felt very light.

Deep fry the doughnuts in hot vegetable oil.Drain on papertowels and immediately sprinkle/dip them in powdered sugar or whatever you wish.

The zapplas were 'fried pillows of heaven'.No words to describe the taste.They are not sugary sweet when tasted as themselves but sprinkling them with powdered sugar takes care of that.If you like you can increase the sugar as per taste.I dipped then in powdered sugar, then coffee syrup and powdered sugar, and then melted chocolate and added sprinkles.

The zeppoles are very delicious and Thanks H, for the hearty recipe.My zeppoles are not as goodlooking as hers,but perfect in taste.These are going to be a part of T&T:Tongueticklers,an event by Zlamushka and currently hosted by the SingingChef Raga.