Does anyone know a good recipe for homemade cannoli's?!
1 cup all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 lb cold lard
2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
1 large egg, separated
About 3 cups vegetable oil
For filling
1 lb fresh ricotta (2 cups)
2 oz soft mild goat cheese
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon minced candied orange peel
1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water (also called orange-blossom water)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red), chopped
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped (1/2 cup)
Special equipment: a pasta maker; a 4- to 4 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer; 6 (roughly 5 5/8- by 5/8-inch) metal cannoli tubes; 2 heavy-duty oven mitts; a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip
Garnish: confectioners sugar
Make dough for shells:
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add 2 tablespoons lard and blend in with your fingertips until combined. Add wine and yolk and stir until a dough forms.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Make filling while dough stands:
Beat together ricotta, goat cheese, confectioners sugar, orange peel, orange-flower water, and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute (do not overbeat). Fold in nuts and chocolate until combined and chill.
Make shells:
Set smooth rollers of pasta maker at widest setting. Unwrap dough and cut in half, then lightly flour 1 piece (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap). Flatten floured dough into an oval and feed through rollers. Turn dial down 2 notches and feed dough through rollers again. Continue to feed dough through rollers, making space between rollers narrower by 2 notches each time, until narrowest setting is used.
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Transfer rolled dough to a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 or 5 rounds with floured cutter. Transfer rounds to baking sheet and keep covered with more plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough and cut rounds in same manner. Gather scraps and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out scraps and cut in same manner.
Heat remaining lard with 1 1/4 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.
Meanwhile, lightly oil cannoli tubes. Lightly beat egg white, then brush bottom edge of 1 dough round with egg white. Wrap dough around a tube, overlapping ends (egg-white edge should go on top), then press edges together to seal. Make 5 more shells in same manner (keep remaining rounds covered with plastic).
Fry dough on tubes 1 at a time, turning with metal tongs, until 1 shade darker, about 45 seconds. Wearing oven mitts, clamp end of hot tubes, 1 at a time, with tongs and, holding tube vertically, allow shell to slide off tube onto paper towels, gently shaking tube and wiggling shell as needed to loosen. (If you allow shell to cool it will stick to tube and shatter when you try to remove it.) Transfer shells to paper towels to drain and cool tubes before reusing. Wrap remaining dough around tubes and fry in same manner.
Spoon filling into pastry bag and pipe some into 1 end of a cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat with remaining shells.
Cooks' notes:
? Dough can be made 1 day before frying shells and chilled. Let dough stand at room temperature 1 hour before rolling.
? Shells can be fried 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, layered between paper towels, in an airtight container at room temperature
Answers: For cannoli shells
1 cup all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 lb cold lard
2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
1 large egg, separated
About 3 cups vegetable oil
For filling
1 lb fresh ricotta (2 cups)
2 oz soft mild goat cheese
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon minced candied orange peel
1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water (also called orange-blossom water)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red), chopped
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped (1/2 cup)
Special equipment: a pasta maker; a 4- to 4 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer; 6 (roughly 5 5/8- by 5/8-inch) metal cannoli tubes; 2 heavy-duty oven mitts; a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip
Garnish: confectioners sugar
Make dough for shells:
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add 2 tablespoons lard and blend in with your fingertips until combined. Add wine and yolk and stir until a dough forms.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Make filling while dough stands:
Beat together ricotta, goat cheese, confectioners sugar, orange peel, orange-flower water, and cinnamon in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute (do not overbeat). Fold in nuts and chocolate until combined and chill.
Make shells:
Set smooth rollers of pasta maker at widest setting. Unwrap dough and cut in half, then lightly flour 1 piece (keep remaining half covered with plastic wrap). Flatten floured dough into an oval and feed through rollers. Turn dial down 2 notches and feed dough through rollers again. Continue to feed dough through rollers, making space between rollers narrower by 2 notches each time, until narrowest setting is used.
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Transfer rolled dough to a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 or 5 rounds with floured cutter. Transfer rounds to baking sheet and keep covered with more plastic wrap. Roll out remaining dough and cut rounds in same manner. Gather scraps and let stand 10 minutes. Roll out scraps and cut in same manner.
Heat remaining lard with 1 1/4 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.
Meanwhile, lightly oil cannoli tubes. Lightly beat egg white, then brush bottom edge of 1 dough round with egg white. Wrap dough around a tube, overlapping ends (egg-white edge should go on top), then press edges together to seal. Make 5 more shells in same manner (keep remaining rounds covered with plastic).
Fry dough on tubes 1 at a time, turning with metal tongs, until 1 shade darker, about 45 seconds. Wearing oven mitts, clamp end of hot tubes, 1 at a time, with tongs and, holding tube vertically, allow shell to slide off tube onto paper towels, gently shaking tube and wiggling shell as needed to loosen. (If you allow shell to cool it will stick to tube and shatter when you try to remove it.) Transfer shells to paper towels to drain and cool tubes before reusing. Wrap remaining dough around tubes and fry in same manner.
Spoon filling into pastry bag and pipe some into 1 end of a cannoli shell, filling shell halfway, then pipe into other end. Repeat with remaining shells.
Cooks' notes:
? Dough can be made 1 day before frying shells and chilled. Let dough stand at room temperature 1 hour before rolling.
? Shells can be fried 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, layered between paper towels, in an airtight container at room temperature
This is my favourite cannoli recipe. Enjoy.
Cannoli
Ingredients:
Shells
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
dash salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cool but not cold
2 eggs
1/2 cup Marsala wine
vegetable oil, for frying
Filling
1 cup dry ricotta
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
5 tbsp semisweet chocolate, grated
To Assemble
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until evenly blended. Whisk together egg and wine and blend into flour mixture until it forms dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to bring together. Wrap and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Roll out dough as thinly as possible, about 1/8–inch thick. Dock with a fork and cut into 3-inch circles. Scrap dough can be re-rolled to cut more discs. Keep discs covered when not using.
Heat oil to 350° F (it should spit when a drop of water is added). Wrap disc around cannoli tube, and press where edges overlap. Immerse in oil and fry until golden brown. Place on a paper towel or cooling rack to drain for a moment, and before completely cooled, remove tube. Repeat with remaining discs, frying a few at a time. Cool completely before filling.
For filling, pulse ricotta with icing sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest in food processor until smooth. Whip cream to medium peak and fold into ricotta. Fold in 5 Tbsp of grated chocolate.
To assemble, fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with cannoli filling. Pipe into shells, started at middle and working out to each end. Cannoli can be topped with a little cream for garnish.
Ingredients
Shells:
3 cups sifted flour
3 tbsps. melted butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup red wine (approximately)
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
fat for deep frying
Filling:
3 lbs. ricotta cheese
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup creme de cacao or other sweet liqueur
3 tbsps. grated bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsps. finely minced, candied orange peel
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts for garnish
What’s Next:
Shells:
Mix flour, butter, sugar, and salt. Add enough wine to make a stiff but manageable dough. Knead for about 15 minutes, until dough is smooth and soft. Add a bit more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
Roll into a ball, cover, and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Divide dough into 2 parts and roll into paper-thin sheets on a lightly floured board. Cut into 4-inch circles or squares.
Place a cannoli tube from corner to corner, diagonally across the squares. Fold the opposite corners together around the tube. Brush corners with beaten egg yolk to seal and press together.
Heat 3 inches of fat to 390° F. Fry cannoli, 2 or 3 at a time, turning if necessary, until deep, golden brown. Remove with tongs or a slotted spatula and drain. Cool to touch and remove tubes, being careful not to break the shells. Cool completely before filling. Fill shells just before serving so that they are crisp.
If you do not intend to use them immediately, store them in a cool, dry place. They will keep, unfilled, for several weeks.
(Note: Cannoli tubes can be bought at kitchen-supply stores, or you may use clean, unpainted wooden dowels. They should measure 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches long.)
Filling:
Beat ricotta vigorously for 2 minutes. Add sugar and liqueur and continue beating for 5 minutes longer, or until smooth. Mix in chocolate and orange and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Use a small spoon to stuff the filling into the shells. Dip the end in chopped pistachio nuts. If you do not wish to serve the cannoli immediately, the filling may be kept, tightly covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
CANNOLI SHELLS
1 3/4 c. unsifted flour
1/2 tsp. slat
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. firm butter cut into sm. pieces
1/4 c. dry Marsala
1 egg white, slightly beaten
Sift flour with salt and granulated sugar. Make a well in the center. In it place egg and butter. Stir with a fork, working from center out, to moisten flour mixture. Add wine, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough begins to cling together. Use your hands to form dough into a ball. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
Roll dough out on floured board about 1/4 inch. Cut into 3 1/2 inch circles. Roll with rolling pin, roll circles into ovals. Wrap around cannoli forms. Seal edge with egg white. Turn out ends of dough to flair slightly. Fry two to three at a time in deep hot fat for about 1 minute or until lightly golden. Remove with tongs to paper towels to drain; let cool about 5 seconds; then slip out cannoli form, holding shell carefully. Cool shells before filling.
FILLING:
3 lbs. Ricotta, drained overnight
1/2 pt. heavy cream, whipped
1 1/8 c. sugar
3 drops cinnamon oil, from dropper
1/2 bag semi-sweet mini chips
Mix Ricotta, sugar and cinnamon oil with mixer. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Let set overnight. Do not mix after set.
OR
CANNOLI
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 lbs. Ricotta
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. citron (optional)
Blend first 4 ingredients and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Blend with your fingertips as you would a pie crust. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. This makes a hard dough. Chill 1 hour.
Roll dough to 1/2 inch and cut into 4x5-inch rectangles. Roll dough around tubes, 1 inch diameter. Fry at 360 degrees until brown. Drain; cool.
Beat Ricotta, vanilla, sugar until smooth, then add chocolate chips and citron. Chill. Fill crusts at both ends with filling, then sprinkle ends with chopped nuts and dust with powdered sugar.
Makes 12 cannolis.
JM