Honey-drizzled cluster cake (cicerchiata)

Silvia Colloca, with the help of her youngest son, Miro, prepares a traditional Italian cluster cake. Similar-sized pastry balls are deep-fried and coated in honey syrup.

• serves

  6-8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 3⅓ cups (500 g) plain flour
• 40 g butter, melted
• 40 g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• pinch of salt flakes
• 1 tbsp grappa or sambuca
• 1–2 tbsp water (optional)
• light-scented olive oil or canola oil, for deep-frying
• 1½ cups (525 g) honey

Resting time 30 minutes

Cooling time 5 minutes

Setting time 3-4 hours

Instructions

Place the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, salt and liqueur in a large bowl and mix well to form a firm dough. If it is too dry, add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic film and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and shape it into ropes about 1.5 cm thick. Cut each rope into a square and roll it to resemble a chickpea.

Half fill a medium heavy-based saucepan with olive oil and heat over medium–high heat. Test it by dropping in a piece of dough: if it sizzles straight away and turns golden in 15 seconds, the oil is ready. Turn the flame down if you think your oil is too hot.

Add the balls in batches and cook for 2–3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a tray lined with paper towels.

When all of the balls are cooked, heat the honey in a medium saucepan until it thins to a pouring consistency. Add the fried balls to the honey and stir carefully until well coated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, stirring every so often.

Place an oiled glass or cup in the middle of a large serving platter, then mound the honeyed nuggets around the glass in the shape of a ring. Allow the honey to set and the cicerchiata to cluster nicely (about 3–4 hours), then remove the glass or cup to reveal the empty hole in the middle.

Serve as it is, or decorated with your choice of nuts, candied fruit or sprinkles.

Note

• You can make individual cakes using paper muffin cases. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a pretty bow they make a lovely Christmas gift.

This recipe is from Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca. To find out more about the show, check out the episode guide, or scroll through Silvia's recipes. Tune in at 8pm, Thursday 27 November on SBS ONE.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.