Recipe Introduction:

Quote from Cosmo: “This dessert is a mountain of colors, sweetness and flavor, then you pour honey on top – like volcano’s lava. This recipe is fun, especially for kids, because they get to use their fingers, pulling it apart to eat the clusters of pignolata then licking their fingers – it’s a must! By the way, kids aren’t the only ones who have fun.”

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs – room temperature
• 8 cups sifted flour
• 1 Tablespoon minced lemon peel (or vanilla – lemon is nicer)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1Tablespoon baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons butter (or margarine)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1-½ cups honey
• 1 ½ Tablespoon sugar
• 2/3 cup of cold water
• ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• Colored candy sprinkles
• Deep fat French fryer and add oil to 1/3 height of

Instructions:

• In a large bowl mix flour, salt, sugar, butter, baking powder and lemon peel
• Make a well in the mixture, add 1 egg at a time, then mix well with your hands
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour
• Take a chunk of dough and roll making a long rope – as thick as an index finger
• Cut into pieces about ½ inch long
• Put oil in frying pan and when it reaches 350, add pieces of dough and cook only until a light brown
• Use a wire or slotted spoon to remove from pan
• Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil
• Mix honey, sugar, water and cinnamon in a large pot and place over low heat
• Keep stirring and add the pignolata to the pan and make sure that all the pignolata are covered with the honey
• Place in a large bowl, make a mountain, add colored candies and powered sugar.

Number of Servings: Ten to 20 – more or less.

Final Comments:

Quote from Cosmo: “This is a must during Christmas and New Years. It’s the best Christmas present that can be eaten, and more fun than toys.”