Shrove Tuesday Fritters

Name: Shrove Tuesday Fritters
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 40
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups; Eggs (about 4 medium) 7.8 oz; Sugar Converted from 80 grams to cups. 0.4 cup; Raisins 2.5 oz; Milk ¼ cup; Sunflower seed oil ¼ cup; Orange juice 1.7 oz; Baking powder 1.1 tbsp; Milk 2.1 cups; Sugar Rounded to the nearest fraction for easy home measurement 0.6 cup; Egg yolks (about 7) 4.4 oz; Rice starch 1.4 oz; Vanilla bean 1; Orange peel ½; Sunflower seed oil Converted from 1 liter to approximately 4.2 cups for ease of use in recipes. 4 ¼ cups; Powdered sugar to taste

it de es fr br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Makes: 40 pieces
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Carnival fritters? Oh man, they're one of those Italian treats that just scream fun and celebration. And look, around Carnival season, these golden little balls are everywhere—from Venice to Naples—each region adding its own twist. Bite into a fresh batch and, honestly, you'll notice right away: the outside gets that crispy snap, while the inside stays tender and a bit fluffy. Really, really good.

The classic version? Pretty simple. It’s made with a simple dough, often mixed with plump raisins, and sometimes you get a creamy custard filling scented with orange zest. And that little hint of citrus? Really wakes up the whole dessert, making the fritters super fragrant and totally moreish. People dust them with powdered sugar so you get a little sweet hit in every bite. They’re usually eaten while still warm, which makes them even harder to resist. Sharing a plate of carnival fritters at a party or family get-together just adds to the feeling that something special’s happening.

And here's the thing: in Italy, traditional carnival recipes are all about mixing different styles. Fritters? No exception. Besides the regular frittelle, you’ve got things like castagnole, tortelli di Carnevale, and ricotta fritters—all with their own take, but all deep-fried and delicious. These easy fritter recipes fit right in with the spirit of Carnival. Everything's a little louder, sweeter and really, people just want to have a good time. Plus, bowls of homemade fritters sit alongside other sweet fried goodies like chiacchiere, so everyone can grab what they like. Pretty much.

The whole thing is about sharing and tasting, from kids in masks to grownups reliving their own Carnival memories. Whether you go for a moist custard center, the extra tangy kick from orange zest, or just love the crispy shell, Italian carnival desserts like these make it clear why this season is so popular. Grabbing a handful of fried dough treats when they’re still warm and dusted with sugar is basically a little piece of the party itself. And listen, if you're looking to bring a bit of Italy into your home, making these fritters is a delicious way to do it.

INGREDIENTS

For the Dough: Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g); Eggs 7.8 oz (220 g) - (about 4 medium); Sugar 0.4 cup (80 g) - Converted from 80 grams to cups.; Raisins 2.5 oz (70 g); Milk ¼ cup (50 g); Sunflower seed oil ¼ cup (50 g); Orange juice 1.7 oz (50 g); Baking powder 1.1 tbsp (16 g)

For the Custard Cream: Milk 2.1 cups (500 g); Sugar 0.6 cup (130 g) - Rounded to the nearest fraction for easy home measurement; Egg yolks 4.4 oz (125 g) - (about 7); Rice starch 1.4 oz (40 g); Vanilla bean 1; Orange peel ½

For Frying: Sunflower seed oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l) - Converted from 1 liter to approximately 4.2 cups for ease of use in recipes.

For Dusting: Powdered sugar to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Shrove Tuesday Fritters

To prepare the Shrove Tuesday fritters, start with the custard cream: pour the milk into a saucepan 1 and flavor it with the pod and seeds of a vanilla bean 2. Add the zest of half an orange 3 and bring it to just below boiling.<\/p>

In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar 4, and rice starch 5, then mix well with a whisk to combine everything 6.<\/p>

Pour the hot milk, strained through a sieve, into the bowl 7 and stir gently to combine 8, then return the mixture to the saucepan 9.<\/p>

Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk 10, until the desired consistency is reached 11; this will take about 6 minutes. Transfer the custard cream to a bowl, cover with cling film in contact, and let it cool 12, then transfer it to a piping bag with a plain nozzle.<\/p>

Meanwhile, prepare the fritter dough: pour the eggs into a bowl along with the milk 13, vegetable oil 14, and orange juice 15.<\/p>

Mix the liquid ingredients with a whisk 16. Now add the dry ingredients: sugar 17 and all-purpose flour 18.<\/p>

Also add the baking powder 19 and mix with a whisk 20 to thoroughly combine all the ingredients, paying attention to the edges of the bowl 21.<\/p>

Now add the raisins 22 to the dough and fold them in with a spatula 23 to incorporate them evenly 34.<\/p>

You're ready to fry: heat the vegetable oil to 320°F and, using 2 tablespoons, drop the batter into the pot 25; to make this operation easier, you can dip the spoons in the hot oil beforehand. Fry no more than 4 fritters at a time to prevent the oil temperature from dropping 26. When they are nicely golden, about 4-5 minutes, drain the fritters on paper towels 27.<\/p>

At this point, take the cooled custard cream, pierce the base of the fritters with a toothpick and fill them by inserting the piping bag nozzle into the hole 28. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to taste 29 and your Shrove Tuesday fritters are ready to be enjoyed 30!<\/p>

Storage

It is recommended to consume the Shrove Tuesday fritters immediately after preparation.<\/p>

Advice

For optimal frying, it is important that the oil temperature remains between 320°F and 329°F; monitor it with a thermometer and fry only a few pieces at a time.<\/p>

If you don't like raisins, you can omit them and follow the same procedure!<\/p>

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.