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Creamy Crispy Cannoli

Homemade crispy cannoli shells with creamy filling....mm-mm-mm!!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time20 minutes
Chilling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Creamy Crispy Cannoli
Servings: 2 dozen
Author: Anna

Special Equipment

  • Stainless steel cannoli tubes
  • 3 ½" round cutting tool, I used a mug and cut around it with a knife.

Ingredients

CANNOLI SHELLS

  • 2 cups flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup Marsala wine
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 egg white and 1 teaspoon water, beaten and set aside
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

CANNOLI FILLING

  • 2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese, drained, see note*
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons candied orange peels, in small dice
  • 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
  • cup + 2 Tablespoons roasted, salted pistachios, shelled and ground-up
  • cup + 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
  • Orange zest

Instructions

TO MAKE THE SHELLS:

  • Put the flour, sugar, salt, and instant coffee into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse a few times until well combined.
  • Add the melted butter, Marsala wine, and the lightly beaten egg; pulse until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
  • Remove dough from the food processor, wrap loosely in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to one hour.

TO ROLL THE DOUGH USING A PASTA MACHINE:

  • Break off about ⅛th of the dough, sprinkle with flour and put through the pasta roller set on the widest setting, "1."
  • Put the dough through using the "1" setting 2 more times.
  • Then continue flattening and thinning the dough by tightening up the pasta rollers. It should be thin enough on "6." Sprinkle with additional flour as needed.
    creamy crispy cannoli rolling
  • Lay the long, flat piece of dough on a lightly floured surface. And cut as many 3 ½" circles as possible. Then proceed with the frying steps below.

TO ROLL THE DOUGH BY HAND:

  • Lightly flour your cutting board or smooth counter-top and your rolling pin.
  • Break off about ⅛th of the dough and roll it out until it is very thin, about 1/16".
  • Lay the long, flat piece of dough on a lightly floured surface. And cut as many 3 ½" circles as possible. Then proceed with the frying steps below.

TO FRY THE CANNOLI SHELLS:

  • Heat about 2" to 3" of oil in a medium saucepan to 350ºF. Or use your deep fryer if you have one.
  • Cover the cannoli tubes with oil.
  • With your rolling pin, roll each circle to elongate it, so you have an oval.
  • Hold the oval of dough in your palm, lay the oiled tube on top. Wrap the dough around the tube using a dab of the egg white to seal the dough. Make sure it is sealed well.
  • Prepare 3 to 4 tubes.
  • Gently lower 2 of the tubes into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute, until golden brown.
  • Remove from the oil. I used a long two-pronged meat fork to lift the tubes out of the oil.
  • Then CAREFULLY, using paper towels to protect your hands, slide the cannoli shell off the tube. Set the cooked shells onto paper towels to drain and cool.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough.

FILLING THE CANNOLI SHELLS:

  • Mix the ricotta cheese with the powdered sugar.
  • Divide the cheese mixture between 3 small bowls.
  • To one portion of the ricotta mixture add the candied orange peels and the liqueur.
  • To the second portion of cheese add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips.
  • And add the remaining teaspoon of vanilla and ⅓ cup of ground up pistachios to the 3rd portion of ricotta mixture.
  • Put each cheese mixture into piping bags or use plastic bags.
  • Cut off the tip of the piping bag and pipe the mixture into the shells.
  • To garnish, dip the ends of the pistachio and chocolate chip cannoli into the remaining 2 Tablespoons of pistachios and chocolate chips, respectively.
  • Sprinkle orange zest on the ends of the orange cannoli.
  • Serve soon after filling. Buon Appetito!

Notes

Gr8 Do Ahead Tip:

The cannoli shells can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Gr8 Tip to Drain the Ricotta:

Put the ricotta cheese in a cheesecloth lined sieve and drain for at least an hour. This will remove excess moisture and help to keep the cheese from softening the shells too quickly.

Gr8 Buying Tip:

None of my local kitchen stores had the cannoli tubes in stock, so I ordered them from Amazon...they arrived quickly! 
 
Tried this recipe?Mention @Great8Friends or tag #gr8food!