Zeppole, castagnole, chiacchiere and apple fritters: before Carnival, it is more concentrated in the preparation of desserts rather than in the choice of the perfect costume. At least that's what we hope here at The School of Italian Cuisine. Here are three tips to make the most classic Carnival sweets at home.

1. Alcohol component

We must not underestimate the use of liqueurs in the preparation of desserts, especially in the typical preparations of the Carnival. In particular, for the Chatter it is necessary to insert an alcohol-based liquid into the mixture: the alcohol, in fact, evaporating during cooking, will contribute to the increase in volume and to the formation of the classic bubbles. The advice is to use the grappa, so as to give an aromatic note that is not too predominant.
Also in the preparation of the damselfish the secret, in order not to obtain a too solid dough, is the use of a liqueur: the advice is that, at the end of cooking, to wet the castagnole inalchermes. In this way they will also look like cute pink confetti.

2. Bake Carnival desserts (even in the oven)

Tradition has it that the Carnival sweets are fried in the lard; in fact, they are born from stories of poverty, in which the only fat available in abundance was precisely this. Then the choice is turned on the oil, in particular, seed oil. Our pastry chef's advice is to use thepeanut oil, so as not to add further flavor to the dessert. Alternatively, you can choose theolive oil, whose use will have a higher cost and above all will give the characteristic aftertaste.
To make a healthier alternative, you can bake the Carnival desserts at oven: what is the secret? Follow the exact same recipe; it will simply change the consistency of the cake, but it will certainly be lighter.

3. Choice of ingredients

As in any preparation, nothing must be left to chance: the choice of the ingredients it is as important as the steps to be achieved. In particular, in the realization of the apple fritters it is better to use more mature apples, so they are sweeter to taste and do not have too much floury consistency.
In the mixture of damselfish you can add other ingredients in addition to the classics, according to your taste, such as raisins, candied fruit and chocolate chips. The advice is always to pay attention to the humidity of these ingredients: they should not contain too much water, otherwise frying would be affected.
To enrich the taste of the Chatterfinally, it is possible to dip them in the melted dark chocolate; alternatively, it is possible to realize a decoration by spreading its surface. We must always be careful, however, that the rumors have already been cooked and are dry.

If we have intrigued you with these tips, we will soon be waiting for you at the Carnival Desserts course!

Texts by Caterina Limido