cannoli shells

Making cannoli looks tricky, but it’s pretty simple, especially with this cannoli shell recipe. You’ll love this fabulous Italian dessert!

Cannoli Shells

all-purpose flour

sugar

salt

unsalted butter (cold)

egg yolk ((reserve the white))

marsala wine

vegetable oil (or other frying oil)

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Pulse the food processor several more times, until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the pieces of butter are no longer visible.

Add egg yolk and marsala wine to the flour/butter mixture and pulse until the dough comes together, forming large clumps.

On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead for several minutes, until it is smooth and pliable. Pat the dough into a round, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Fill a large Dutch oven 5-6 inches deep with vegetable oil or other high smoke point frying oil. Heat over medium high until the oil reaches 350-360°F. *You will need to adjust the burner temp regularly during frying to maintain the oil’s temperature in this range.

Lightly spray a bit of non-stick oil on cannoli molds to ensure the cannoli shells do not stick.

Divide the dough into 2 or 3 smaller pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thinly as possible.

Use a 4 ½-inch round biscuit cutter to cut as many circles from the dough as possible. Gather scraps and re-roll to cut additional circles. Gently wrap one circle around each cannoli mold/tube, using a bit of the reserved egg white to seal the two edges where they overlap on the form. (See NOTES)

Carefully lower the cannoli shells down into the hot oil. Fry, gently moving the tubes around in the oil to ensure the shells brown evenly on all sides. Lift from the oil and transfer to paper towels to drain grease.

With a kitchen towel to grip the cannoli in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other hand, grip the cannoli form and pull it from the center of the cannoli shell. This should be done while the cannoli is still warm.

Transfer the cannoli shells to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before adding any filling. Unfilled shells may be stored in an airtight container for a day or two.

A foolproof cannoli recipe for shells and filling! Cannoli are seriously dreamy, crisp shells filled with a ricotta and chocolate mixture. Perfect for an elegant dinner party to serve as an eye-catching, impressive dessert. Check out all my tips and tricks for perfectly crisp cannoli shells.

Cannoli Recipe (How to Make Cannoli Filling & Shells)

all-purpose flour, (more as needed)

unsalted butter,

eggs, (beaten)

Marsala wine

Confectioners' sugar

dark chocolate, (grated, more for dusting)

whole milk ricotta cheese

confectioners' sugar

cinnamon

chopped candied fruit, (I used candied orange slices)

To prepare the pastry: Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Using your hand, rub in the butter until you have a coarse mixture. Mix in the egg and Marsala wine. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until you have a smooth dough. (If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit of flour at a time and continue to knead until you are able to form a smooth ball.) Place the dough back in the bowl and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the grated chocolate, ricotta cheese, confectioners&#39; sugar and the candied fruit. Mix with a hand mixer or fork until all is well combined. Set aside for now.

Take the pastry dough out of the fridge. On a clean, lightly-floured work surface, roll the pastry dough out until very thin (like 1/8' thin). Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or a drinking glass, cut the dough into rounds. You should have between 18 and 24 rounds.

Dust 6 cannoli molds with flour and wrap each pastry circle loosely around a cannoli mold. Dampen the edges of the dough with the egg wash and press to seal the edges shut in the middle (make sure you press hard enough using a little of the egg wash so that the dough will not open when it's fried).

Fill a small cooking pot with oil about 1/3 of the way. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Deep fry until the cannoli pastry shells turn golden and crisp (this will be quick). Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towel. When pastry shells are cool enough to handle, twist the cannoli forms to release the shells.

Using the cannoli molds, repeat the process until you have fried all the cannoli.

When the cannoli shells are cold, pipe or spoon the filling into them. Dust with a generous amount of confectioner's sugar and a bit of the grated dark chocolate. Enjoy!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/Xd0YlwP9.mp4

These cannoli shells are crispy, flaky, perfectly fried, and then filled with a sweet simple ricotta cheese filling.

brown sugar (packed)

unsalted butter

eggs

marsala cooking wine

sugar (for dusting)

mini chocolate chips (for garnish)

vegetable oil (for frying)

whole milk ricotta (drained)

heavy whipping cream

vanilla extract

Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

Add the butter to flour mixture, work the butter in with your hands or a fork until it becomes crumbly.

Add the sherry and mix until well combined.

Add 1 beaten egg and work in using your hands or the fork until a dough forms.

Flatten the dough into a disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap,  and refrigerate for at least an hour.

After the dough has rested, cut it into thirds and place on a floured work surface. Dust the rolling pin with flour and roll out each pience until very thin (under ¼ inch). As thin as you can make it.

Flour a 4-inch biscuit or cookie cutter and cut out about 2 dozen circles.

One at a time, wrap the dough circles around cannoli tubes.

Seal the edges with the remaining beaten egg.

In a heavy pot or dutch oven, heat oil to 365 degrees F (no more than 370 and no less than 360).

Using tongs, place wrapped molds in oil and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Only add a 3 to the pan at a time so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop.

Move the shells while still in their molds to a paper towel-lined surface and allow them to cool. Repeat with remaining shells.

While the shells are cooling, prepare the filling. (Directions to follow)

When the shells are cool, remove molds by gently squeezing the molds and very gently twisting the shells until they slip off.

Put the filling in a piping bag and fill shells.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top of the cannoli filling, then dust generously with powdered sugar.

Cannoli Shell

Add the ricotta, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium/high until thick and creamy.

Add in the piping bag and pipe into the cooled shells.

Ricotta Filling

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