Fresh mandarin zest is the fragrant colored outer peel, finely grated for doughs and desserts.
The aroma comes from a thin layer of the fruit.
Mandarin peel brings a clear citrus fragrance to pastry. Grating the colored surface gives fine, moist flecks that disperse through a dough. The white layer underneath is more bitter and is left behind for this preparation.
Choose fruit with peel suitable for culinary use. Wash and dry it, then grate the colored surface finely, turning the fruit to avoid repeatedly cutting into one patch. Weigh 2 g and add with the other dough ingredients.
The struffoli dough combines mandarin zest with lemon and orange zest. The 2 g mandarin portion is weighed after grating; the juice and flesh have other uses.
Add the mandarin with the other citrus zests during the first mixing. Spread any moist clumps apart so the fine peel is distributed through the dough rather than left in one aromatic patch.
Check the label or ask the seller whether the peel is suitable to eat. Buy fresh mandarins for this ingredient; dried peel, candied peel and mandarin flavorings have different textures and concentrations.
Keep the fruit according to its storage directions and grate the amount required when setting up the dough. A small covered dish keeps the measured zest separate from flour and other ingredients before mixing.
Fresh grated zest seasons the dough. Diced candied fruit is a separately weighed ingredient added with the honey and as decoration.
Use the 2 g of colored grated peel specified here. The struffoli dough does not call for an additional pour of mandarin juice.
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