Zeppole di San Giuseppe (choux shells, baked and fried, filled with custard)

Infuse the milk in a saucepan with two long strips of orange or lemon peel.

In a small bowl combine the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt; whisk until frothy and doubled in volume.

Whisk in the flour and cornstarch until combined; it will be very thick at first.

Temper the yolks by drizzling in about a cup of the hot milk, then add the mixture to the milk at a simmer.

Cook on very gentle heat, whisking and scraping with a heat proof spatula, 5 to 7 minutes (7 used), without scorching the bottom.

Remove the citrus strips; cover with plastic wrap touching the custard to prevent a skin and chill until room temperature.

In the pan combine water, sugar, the stick of unsalted butter, a small pinch of salt and a little citrus zest; melt and bring to a boil with a wooden spoon.

Add the flour, turn off the heat and stir until it goes from liquid to clumpy to a thick paste that holds together when pinched.

Cool the dough by mixing in a stand mixer with the paddle to incorporate air, then incorporate three eggs one at a time.

Preheat the oven to 375 and fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Anchor the parchment on the baking sheet with a dab of batter in each corner; pipe a circle and go around twice up to form a nest.

Brush the baked ones with egg wash (one egg beaten with a splash of water or milk) and bake at 375 for about 35 minutes.

For fried ones, pipe the same nests onto individual squares of parchment, each anchored with a dab of batter; no egg wash.

Heat oil to 350; lower the zeppole on their parchment head down into the oil, three at a time in a small skillet, and peel off the paper.

Fry about a minute and a half per side and drain on a rack.

Cool the shells completely; pipe the room-temperature custard into and on top of each shell with a star tip.

Top with one or more Amarena cherries and some of their syrup, then dust with powdered sugar.