Well, I promised you a cannoli recipe so here you go.
My mom is known for her cannolis. You will not taste a better cannoli. I promise you. I will not purchase cannolis at bakeries because they taste like dirt next to these. Seriously. They're THAT good. When mom has a party? People come. Not for the party, not to see family, not for the holiday....but for the CANNOLI!!!
Although, in all honesty, this isn't actually my mom's recipe. She got this recipe from one of my Grandma's friends. So I kinda feel a little dirty for sharing this. Like I'm sharing someone else's secret family recipe. But I think it's safe to say that my Grandma's friend isn't reading this blog....so....you know....
And since I'm being all honest and stuff...I should probably also point out that I've never actually made this recipe myself. Because I don't have any of these:
It's on my to-do list to acquire some cannoli shell tubes of my very own but I still haven't gotten around to it.
I've been making them with my mom for years. My brother and I used to tag team it with her in her kitchen making the shells when we were growing up. Making the shells is a bit of a chore. And almost requires more than one person. Unless you have...like....50 of the above pictured tubes. But it's sooooo worth it!
So, without further ado....I present to you my mom's famous cannoli recipe:
Cannoli shell:
4 cups of flour
3/4 cup Crisco
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
20 tbsp of water or wine (there are 16 tbsp to a cup)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
(makes approx. 50 cannolis)
The key to a good flaky shell is to NOT work the dough too much..."cut" the Crisco into the dry ingredients until the mixture is no bigger than pea sized, then add the egg and slowly stir in the water until it forms a ball.
Mom usually makes this in advance and refrigerates the dough. It's easier to roll and work with when it's cold. Roll it thin (using flour so it doesn't stick), like less than an eight of an inch. Use a round cookie cutter (or a cup or a glass...anything round will do)...there are different sized tubes so you'll have to experiment with the size of the circle you're cutting. Wrap the cut circle around the tube and seal the edge with water...be sure the edges are sealed good because they tend to pop open when frying.
Confession: My brother and I used to pray for shells that popped open because then mom let us eat them. You can't fill a cannoli shell if it pops open. =) And sometimes....just sometimes....we'd purposely not seal it well. Sorry mom.
Fill a pan with a whole lotta vegetable oil and crank the burner up to "high". When oil sizzles with a splatter of water...it's ready. Electric deep fryer works too. Gently place several of the cannoli shells in the oil and fry until deep golden brown. If you have many tubes then making these are no big deal....but if you only have a hand full it becomes a chore because you have to wait for the tubes to cool before reloading the circles of dough. Hence, our tag teaming it as children. When you pull the tubes from the oil and slide the shell off the tube...place the shell on paper towel to soak up extra oil.
The shells can be made several days in advance and keep well.
Cannoli filling:
5 cups of milk
1 cinnamon stick
2.5 cups of sugar
1 cup of cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
Heat sugar, milk, and cinnamon, leaving a little milk out to mix with the cornstarch. When milk comes to a boil add cornstarch/milk mixture. Mix until thick stirring continuously. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir so the milk doesn't burn...cuz then you end up with yucky ugly brown chunks in your filling. Put in the frig. When cooled, stir in vanilla. (Fills approx. 25 cannolis).
The easiest way to fill the cannoli shell is to use a cake decorator's bag such as this:
You're still not done.
Then you mix (very) finely chopped walnuts and some (very) finely chopped Hershey's chocolate together in a bowl. You can even mix some of the finely chopped Hershey's chocolate into the cooled filling. Yummy. Then dip the ends of the filled cannolis into the nut/chocolate mixture.
For best results...don't fill the shells too early. The shells with get a little soggy and lose their flakiness if you fill them too soon.
And that's it.
I'm going to make some soon....just as soon as I purchase my very own tubes....and take pictures along the way.
If you make these? You MUST share your opinion with me . It'll make my mom happy. =)
FAQs
Traditional cannolis have a simple filling of ricotta (or mascarpone), sugar, and sometimes vanilla extract. Here are a few common additions and variations: Chocolate chips or candied fruits add welcome bursts of sweetness to the filling or the shell.
Is mascarpone or ricotta better for cannoli? ›
Cannoli is traditionally made with ricotta, but some people prefer mascarpone. It simply depends on your personal preference.
What brand of ricotta is best for cannoli filling? ›
THE BEST RICOTTA CHEESE:
A huge component of this Homemade Cannoli Cream is, of course, the delicious Galbani® Ricotta Cheese. This rich and creamy cheese can be found in your local market's dairy aisle and is the perfect cheese to use for a delicious and rich cannoli cream.
What is the difference between Sicilian and regular cannoli? ›
The biggest alteration to the traditional Sicilian recipe was the use of mascarpone, or cow's milk ricotta, instead of sheep's milk ricotta. Although it sounds like a rarity, sheep's milk ricotta was a fairly common cheese in Sicily, as it still is today in regions of Italy like Tuscany and Lazio (via Delallo).
What is the difference between Italian and American cannoli? ›
Chief among them is the type of milk used for each. The Italian version makes use of sheep's milk, while Italian-American cannoli employs cow's milk (leading to significant distinctions in taste and consistency).
What makes cannoli filling grainy? ›
Over time recipes have begun using powdered sugar as both the sweetener and to stabilize the watery ricotta, but this, in turn, makes the filling a grainy and overwhelmingly sweet pastry cream. To fix this dilemma, I use a mixture of ricotta, mascarpone, goat cheese with granulated sugar.
What do Italians call cannoli? ›
In Italian, cannoli is plural; the singular is cannolo ( Italian: [kanˈnɔːlo]; Sicilian: cannolu [kanˈnɔːlʊ]), a diminutive meaning 'little tube', from canna, 'cane' or 'tube'.
How do you thicken ricotta for cannoli? ›
If the cannoli filling is too thin and runny, take two tablespoonfuls of the filling and place in a glass bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Heat in microwave 45 seconds, stir until smooth texture and add to the filling. Whisk with mixer for 3–4 minutes until the filling begins to thicken and become fluffy.
Why won't my cannoli filling thicken? ›
I've found that the number one reason why cannoli filling isn't thick is that the ricotta cheese wasn't drained. This one simple step is SO important if you want a thick filling! And it's so easy to do! To drain the ricotta, you simply line a fine mesh strainer with a cheesecloth and place it over a bowl.
Do I have to add egg to ricotta filling? ›
Eggs help bind the ricotta cheese, but if you don't have eggs on hand then it's OK to omit them. Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact.
Pipe the ricotta filling into each end of the shell no more than one hour prior to serving. Garnish with powdered sugar, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or anything your heart desires. Keep refrigerated and enjoy!
What is holy cannoli? ›
“Holy” Cannoli are a Sicilian dessert. Sicilian pastry chefs form and fry dough rounds, they then fill them with a ricotta filling or sometimes, a cream filling. They are absolutely delicious, not too sweet and are just fun to eat treats.
What time of day should I eat cannoli? ›
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Yes, they are simply dessert, but sometimes they have fruit. That makes it good enough for breakfast in my opinion… Think of how great they would pair with a refreshing mimosa. Honestly, if we get to have pastries at breakfast, cannolis should be included.
How many cannolis per person? ›
We recommend two cannoli per person. Assortments can be customized with a one dozen minimum per flavor.
Can you use Philadelphia instead of ricotta? ›
Cream cheese: Cream cheese is made with milk and cream, while ricotta is made with just milk. The lower fat content makes the latter cheese slightly less creamy. However, cream cheese can still be substituted for ricotta.
How do you stiffen cannoli fillings? ›
If the cannoli filling is too thin and runny, take two tablespoonfuls of the filling and place in a glass bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Heat in microwave 45 seconds, stir until smooth texture and add to the filling. Whisk with mixer for 3–4 minutes until the filling begins to thicken and become fluffy.
What cheese are cannolis made of? ›
An All-Time Italian Classic dessert, the Cannoli
Everyone enjoys the crunchy shell, smooth and sweet Ricotta cheese, and rich chocolate chips from this Italian staple.
