Cannoli is a traditional Italian dessert that consists of crispy pastry shells filled with a sweet, creamy filling, usually made with ricotta cheese. Here’s a step by step guide on how to make cannoli:
Ingredients
For the Shells:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
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- 2 tbsp sugar
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- 1/2 tsp salt
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- cold, cut into small pieces: 3 tbsp unsalted butter
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- 1 large egg yolk
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- 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or red wine or water)
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- Vegetable oil (for frying)
For the Filling:
- 2 cups ricotta cheese (drained well)
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- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
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- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
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- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
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- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (for garnish, optional)
Equipment
- Cannoli forms (metal tubes)
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- Rolling pin
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- Piping bag or plastic bag with a cut corner
Instructions
Prepare the Dough for the Shells
- Need to roll out the dough on a floured surface until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles (about 4-5 inches in diameter).
- Wrap each dough circle around a cannoli form, sealing the edges with a little water or egg white. Be sure not to wrap too tightly, as the dough will expand when fried.
- In a deep fryer or a deep pan heat the oil to 350°F. Fry the cannoli shells in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
- Drain on paper towels after carefully remove them from the oil. After removing them from the metal tubes, let the shells cool completely.
Assemble the Cannoli
- Once the shells have cooled and the filling is chilled, use a piping bag to fill each shell with the ricotta mixture.
- Dip the ends of the cannoli in chopped pistachios or sprinkle with powdered sugar for garnish.
Serve
Serve the cannoli immediately after filling, as the shells can become soggy if filled too far in advance.
Enjoy your homemade cannoli!
