Cannoli
Cannoli
A classic Italian sweet treat.
Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Ingredients
Shells
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted cold butter diced small
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup Marsala wine Sherry can be substituted
Filling
- 2 cups ricotta cheese whole milk
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cups small semi-sweet chocolate chips if desired
- 1 lemon
- 1 quart canola or frying oil
- All-purpose flour for rolling
- 1 egg beaten for egg wash
Instructions
Shell Dough
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the cold butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy.
- Add the egg yolk and the Marsala wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough.
- Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later.
- Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend.
- In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta.
- Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
To roll and fry the shells
- In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, like a Dutch oven or rondeau, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick).
- Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles.
- Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold.
- Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry.
- Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the oil and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool.
- Repeat with all of the circles.
To fill the cannoli
- Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli shells.
- Fill the shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. Serve immediately.
Keyword Cheese, class recipe
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