Cannoli, a traditional Sicilian pastry, has captivated taste buds for centuries with its crispy pastry shells and creamy, sweet filling. This delightful treat, often served at festivals and celebrations, consists of a tube-shaped shell filled with a luscious ricotta-based filling, offering a harmonious blend of textures and flavors.
Our comprehensive guide takes you through the art of crafting both the delicate shells and the velvety filling, providing step-by-step instructions and valuable tips to ensure success. Whether you're a seasoned baker or embarking on your culinary journey, we've got you covered. Discover the secrets to achieving the perfect crispy texture for the shells and the smooth, creamy consistency for the filling, striking a perfect balance between sweetness and richness.
Along with the classic cannoli recipe, we present tantalizing variations to cater to diverse preferences. Indulge in the delightful flavors of chocolate-dipped cannoli, where the shells are elegantly coated in rich chocolate, or savor the zesty twist of lemon-infused cannoli, where a burst of citrus brightens up the creamy filling. For those seeking a vegan alternative, our dairy-free cannoli recipe offers a delectable plant-based filling that retains the authentic cannoli experience.
With detailed instructions, helpful hints, and a range of recipe options, this guide empowers you to create authentic cannoli that will impress your family and friends. Embrace the culinary heritage of Sicily and embark on a journey of taste and tradition with our comprehensive cannoli recipes.
CANNOLI SHELLS AND RICOTTA CREAM FILLING
Giovanna, our good friend, makes wonderful cannoli shells and ricotta cream-love friends like her! Her family owned Italian restaurants for over 40 years in the Chicago area. She stores the shells in a plastic air tight container at room temperature for 2 months and freezes the filling she is not using immediately and defrosts it in the refrigerator later. As she would say mangiare, mangiare---eat, eat! (I will attempt to post some photos in the correct sequence http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=259809)
Provided by WiGal
Categories Dessert
Time 4h
Yield 44-50 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Three or more days in advance of making the cannoli shells set the ricotta in a colander inside of a large bowl.
- Scrape the ricotta into the colander and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for two days, until it is dry.
- To make the dough for cannoli shells: In a small bowl put eggs.
- Beat eggs; add vanilla and ice water to eggs.
- In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon.
- Add the shortening and mix until crumbly.
- Make well in dry mixture and add wet mixture.
- Using your hands mix together, if it is dry, add more ice water.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 3 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a flattened ball.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
- Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
- Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine or the dough can be rolled on a board with a rolling pin.
- Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep the pieces from sticking.
- Continue to pass the dough through the machine until you reach the last or second to last setting.
- You might need to run the dough through the pasta machine three times.
- The dough needs to be thin-about the same thickness as construction paper; cut the dough into 4 1/2 inch circles. (Giovanna's cannoli tubes are 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.).
- Continue rolling out the remaining dough.
- If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.
- Put a rack in the bottom of a large heavy kettle that you plan on putting your peanut oil into so that your cannoli shells do not touch the bottom and burn. (Giovanna uses a restaurant kettle that is about 18 inches in diameter.).
- Pour about 2 inches of oil in a smaller kettle. Giovanna used 4 quarts but her kettle is huge!
- Heat oil until a deep frying thermometer shows 375 degrees.
- Oil the cannoli tubes by placing them in the hot oil then draining them in a metal bowl (you need the oil on the tube so that later the cannoli shell will slip off easily).
- Lay the dough circle flat, center the tube on it, bring left edge onto tube, dab it with egg white, bring up right side of dough circle, dab it with egg white, and roll the tube; do not press the dough. You do not want the dough to be too tight on the tube, or you will have difficulty later getting your cannoli off. Be careful not to stretch the dough or pull it tightly. Avoid, as best as possible, getting egg white on the tube, or the cannoli will stick to it.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan.
- Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
- With tongs, remove the cannoli tubes, holding them straight up so that the oil flows back into the pan.
- Then drain the cannoli still on tube briefly in a metal bowl.
- While the cannoli shells are still hot, carefully slide the shells off the tubes by grasping each tube with a clean towel and gently twisting the cannoli shell off the tube with your other hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. On another work surface area, lay oilcloth or newspaper, topped with a large rack.
- When the cannoli shells are barely warm set them on top of the rack.
- It is important that the shells stay on the racks overnight.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough; set aside.
- The cannoli shells can be made up to 2 months before serving if you drain them properly overnight, and store them in sealed containers in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator.
- To make the ricotta cream, put the thoroughly dry ricotta in a large mixing bowl with a wire whip and blend until creamy.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon oil; blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate pieces. Store the ricotta cream in the refrigerator for 48 hours. After 48 hours, serve and freeze the rest.
- Frozen ricotta cream can be defrosted in the refrigerator later.
- To assemble, use a knife to push the ricotta cream into the cannoli shell.
- Place the cannoli on a serving platter and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
- Use within an hour.
CANNOLI FILLING AND SHELLS
This is another one of those recipes yellow with age- I think I got this from one of my friends who is Italian .Neapolitano -I don't know how to spell her last name - I think that is right.
Provided by Pat Duran
Categories Other Desserts
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- 1. Shells: Into a bowl, sift flour with salt and sugar. Make a hole in the center of mixture and place egg plus the extra yolk and butter in hole. Stir with a fork, working from center out to moisten flour mixture. Add wine, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until dough begins to cling together. Use hands to form dough into a ball. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Roll dough out to 1/16 th inch thick and cut into 3 1/2 inch circles. Roll a circle into an oval and wrap around a metal or wooden form,sealing edge with some egg white. Fry in very hot deep fat about 1 minute until golden. Cool 5 seconds and remove from form. Repeat with all circles. --- Filling: Combine ingredients and fill a pastry bag with filling.(or heavy zip lock bag- cut hole in one corner). Then sprinkle them with powdered sugar. During the holidays I dip the ends in crushed candy canes or fill the cannoli with pistachio pudding. You can also stuff with anything you wish like- egg salad, tuna salad, crab salad, ice cream or pineapple fluff or any jello fluff. Tastes great filled with baked pumpkin custard whipped with Cool Whip, or just the pumpkin custard.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ricotta cheese. The better the ricotta, the better the cannoli filling will be.
- Make sure the ricotta cheese is well-drained. This will help to prevent the cannoli filling from being too runny.
- Sweeten the ricotta cheese to taste. You can use granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or honey.
- Add flavorings to the ricotta cheese, such as vanilla extract, almond extract, or cinnamon.
- Chill the cannoli filling for at least 30 minutes before using. This will help it to set and make it easier to pipe into the cannoli shells.
- Use a variety of cannoli shell sizes and shapes. This will add visual interest to your dessert platter.
- Fill the cannoli shells just before serving. This will help to prevent the shells from becoming soggy.
- Garnish the cannoli with powdered sugar, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts.
Conclusion:
Cannoli are a delicious and classic Italian dessert that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little planning and effort, you can easily make delicious cannoli at home. Just be sure to use high-quality ingredients and follow the recipes carefully. You'll be glad you did!
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