Italian Desserts Recipes - St Joesp's Puffs (Soffi di San Giuseppe) Recipe

Ingredients                                 

• 300 ml/1 1/4 cups water

• 75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup unsalted (sweet) butter

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp salt

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 oz cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• 3 egg yolks

• 5 ml/1 tsp baking powder

• 15 ml/1 tbsp grated lemon rind

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup Ricotta cheese

• Icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted

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Method:

1. Heat the water, butter and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour in the flour and stirring all the time, remove the mixture from the heat and beat well.

2. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until the mixture comes away from the pan. Allow to cool for 2 minutes.

3. Beat the egg yolks into the mixture, one at a time. Beat in the baking powder and lemon rind. Drop large teaspoons of the mixture on to a greased baking sheet.

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

5. Immediately cut open the centers with a sharp knife to allow the steam to escape.

6. Fill with Ricotta cheese and dust with icing sugar before serving.