Struffoli (Neapolitan Honey Balls)

Method

1. In a bowl, combine 3 eggs, 1 yolk, a pinch of salt, and 20g sugar. Set aside briefly.
2. In another bowl, mix 400g 00 flour with 60g soft butter and the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean. Add the egg mixture, 30g liquor (Strega), and zest of 1 lemon. Knead until smooth.
3. Add some candied orange peel (reserve some for later). Knead briefly.
4. Cover and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
5. After resting, roll the dough into logs about 1cm thick. Cut into 1cm pieces.
6. Pass the pieces through a sieve to remove excess flour, then roll them into balls between your palms.
7. Heat seed oil to 170°C. Fry the struffoli in small batches until golden. Drain on paper towels.
8. In a separate pan, heat 400g honey with 2 tablespoons sugar. Add the reserved candied orange peel and cook for 1 minute, then turn off heat. Let cool for 5 minutes.
9. Add the fried struffoli to the honey mixture and stir to coat well.
10. Wet your hands with lemon juice and shape the honey-coated struffoli into a mound or wreath (using a glass as a mold). Let set for 1 hour, then remove the mold.