Yes, I remember them very well.
At Christmas they were usually arranged in a pyramid shape to resemble a Christmas tree, and covered in those tiny colored sugar balls (non-pariels?) and sometimes had tiny tinsel, too. It was beautiful, a centerpiece dish for the table.

I remember my Italian grandmother served it, along with homemmade canollis and other treats. There are also these candies, sort of 1 inch hard curly things with "bumps" on them, also pastel colored, with a tiny piece of cinnamon bark inside. Oh, I think they were called confettis.

The situatin was, my grandmother was from the Marches, North Central Italy, and always (repeatedly, pointedly) reminded us that stuffoli was from Southern Italy, but, only becuase it was Christmas, she agreed to have it on her table.[;)]

My old italian relatives in New Haven, Conn still make these every year around Christmas- "strufuli" (I think) is what they call them. Very old italian dessert- and good! Merry Christmas!

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

Any Italians out there that make and/or remember the Italian honey balls,I’m not sure of the spelling…struvilla. Making them was an all day affair…and eating them over the christmas holidays a treat to be remembered all year!
leethebard

The correct name is strufoli. I have an Italian recipe for these, but if I make a batch I know I will eat the whole thing. They are wonderful.

I think you are referring to an Italian treat that is quite similar to a Jewish one called taiglach. Balls of dough are boiled in honey, then built into small pyramids, garnished with nuts and dried fruits. It is a favorite of mine, and I’m sure I’ve put at least one of my dentist’s kids through college by liking it so much.
My mom made her own once; bees threw themselves at the back kitchen door the entire time.
I’ve never heard the Italian name for this, though. But I have eaten them with Italian friends near Christmas.
Ron