Every year I like to take some form of homemade treat to my neighbors and friends around the holidays. This year I decided on making homemade cannoli. If you’ve never had cannoli, they are an Sicilian pastry made from a fried sweet pasta shell filled with sweet ricotta cream. When done correctly they are lightly sweet and not overbearing (and really wonderful). There are many ways to make cannoli but I think the best has a clear citrus flavor with a hint of chocolate. Cannoli have been popular among Italian Americans for many generations. They also have their place in pop culture as part of one of the most famous lines in The Godfather film. After a revenge hit is conducted, the Mafioso Clemenza states, “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”, then grabs the white cannoli box and makes a quick escape as seen here:

Special Tools

Pasta roller

Cannoli forms – Trust me, its worth the couple of bucks for these forms. We tried homemade ones at first.

Piping bag with large tip

 

Cannoli (makes about 30 cannoli)

For the shells:

1 1/3 cups – all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. – salt

1 Tbsp. – granulated sugar

2 tsp. – cocoa powder (do not use Dutch processed)

1/2 tsp. – ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. – shortening or lard

6-7 Tbsp. – sweet Marsala wine

Peanut Oil – for frying

1 – egg whites, lightly beaten

 

For the filling:

2 cups – fresh ricotta (I found store bought ricotta to not work as well. Go here for my recipe to make your own.)

2 cups – Heavy whipping cream

1 cup – powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. – vanilla extract

1 packet – powdered gelatin

2 Tbsp. – cold water

1 tsp. – kosher salt

 

For the toppings:

1 cup – mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup – finely chopped pistachios

1/2 cup – finely minced candied citron

Add flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine well. Using the paddle attachment, add the lard and mix on low speed for several minutes until the mixture resemble fine crumbs (similar to what you do for biscuit, pasta, and pie crust). While mixing on low speed, add the Marsala wine, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the the just comes together and balls up on the paddle. It should be on the dry side while still being workable, so don’t be afraid to add too little marsala. This should be about 6 tablespoons depending on the humidity. It should appear like a brown stiff pasta dough. Remove from the mixing bowl and work a little on the counter into a dry tight dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature overnight (a minimum of one hour). As it rests it will soften, relax, and moisten, which is why it should start out very dry.

After the dough has rested, break it until several pieces (4-5 depending on your comfort with a pasta roller). Now knead the dough by rolling through the pasta roller the same way you would any pasta, which is to roll it out on the largest setting, fold in half, roll again, and repeat. Every so often change the direction of the dough by 90 degrees and repeat the process. Be careful not to overwork your dough. You are shooting for an even consistency in color and texture. If the dough seems to break apart as you roll it then it may be too wet. If so then add more flour to the outside and knead it in.

Heat oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot to 350 degrees.

Break off a small piece of dough and roll it into a 1 inch sized ball. Send through the pasta roller then decrease the thickness to size 4 setting. It should come out as an oval. Wrap the dough around the form and, using a pastry brush, lightly brush one edge of the shell with egg white. Do not let egg white touch the cannoli form! It will cause the shell to stick to the form. It should only go between where the two edges overlap.

Place the shell and form into the hot oil bath. After 45 seconds, lightly remove the shell from the form and continue frying. I did this with a pair of tongs and a chopstick. I would hold the edge of the form with the tongs and push the shell off with the chopstick. You will likely need to use the same forms several times for this batch. Wash the forms between each use. I had a sink full of soapy water, as soon as I would remove the shell from the form, I would toss the form into the soapy water, then quickly scrub each form, rinse, and dry. Fry the shells for 30 or so more seconds until the shell is lightly browned and crispy. If the shell deforms when picked up with the tongs then it needs more time. Drain entirely then let cool on a rack. Never place on a paper towel to cool as it will make it more greasy and soggy.

The shell can be left uncovered at room temp for 1-2 days.

To make the filling, add the gelatin and cold water to a small bowl and let steep for several minutes. Add the ricotta, cream, sugar, salt, zest, and extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip gently with a paddle attachment. Heat the gelatin bowl in a double boiler (or in the microwave at half power) until the gelatin melts. Pour the warm gelatin mixture into the ricotta mixture and mix well. Chill for 30 minutes. Return to the stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy.

It is important to not fill the shells until right before they are to be consumed as the shells will soften with the filling over time.

To fill, add the filling to a large piping bag that has been fit with a very large tip. Pipe into the shells, first from one side then the other. Place the mini chocolate chips in a small bowl and the pistachios and citron in another. Dip one side of the cannoli into the chocolate chips and the other into the pistachios and citron. Dust with powdered sugar.

To give as gifts I lined the inside of a small white food box (from a restaurant supply store) with tissue paper and placed several cannoli inside.

I then closed the boxes and tied with raffia. Happy holidays!