Description
Classic Italian Cannoli with crisp fried pastry shells filled with a sweet ricotta and dark chocolate mixture, enhanced with a hint of cinnamon and optional candied fruit. Perfect for a festive dessert or an elegant treat to share.
Ingredients
Filling
- 12 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, finely grated, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 ounces candied fruit, finely chopped (optional)
Pastry Shells
- 2 cups (256 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg white
- 3 tablespoons Marsala wine
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- Oil (extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil), for frying
Instructions
- Drain the ricotta: Line a fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Add the ricotta cheese and use the back of a spoon to smooth it evenly. Refrigerate overnight to drain excess moisture.
- Prepare the dough: Sift together flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the diced butter with your fingertips until the mixture is coarse. Beat the two whole eggs, then add them along with Marsala wine to the flour mixture and combine.
- Knead and rest the dough: On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Add flour as needed to prevent stickiness. Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for one hour to rest.
- Roll the dough: Remove dough from fridge and roll out very thinly (about 1/16 inch) on a floured surface. Lift and flip dough occasionally, adding flour as needed. If dough shrinks back, chill on a baking sheet for 15 minutes and then continue rolling.
- Cut and shape the shells: Whisk egg white with cold water to make an egg wash. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or glass, cut dough into 18 to 24 rounds. Dust cannoli molds with flour, wrap each pastry round around a mold, dampen edges with egg wash, and press to seal.
- Fry the shells: Heat oil in a saucepan to 350°F. Deep fry molds a few at a time until shells are golden and crisp, about a few moments. Remove shells with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, twist molds off shells. Repeat until all shells are fried. Let shells cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
- Mix the filling: Combine the drained ricotta, grated dark chocolate, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and optional candied fruit in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a piping bag or use a spoon. Refrigerate until serving.
- Fill and serve: Just before serving, pipe or spoon the filling into the cooled cannoli shells. Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar and grated chocolate. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Drain the ricotta overnight to prevent watery filling.
- Use a candy or deep-frying thermometer to maintain 350°F oil temperature for crisp shells.
- Handle cannoli shells gently as they are fragile once fried.
- Fill the cannoli just before serving to maintain crispness.
- Substitute Marsala wine with sherry or white wine if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes active, plus 12 hours draining and 1 hour dough rest
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (including frying)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
