Holy Cannoli! This is one of the very best desserts in the world, and now you can make them at home!
When I go out for a meal, I tend to order dishes that I can’t or don’t make at home. These are usually things that call for ingredients I don’t normally have access to (like Dover sole), or that seem too complicated for me. Like cannoli. I love these Italian crispy cinnamon-laced cones filled with sweet, rich ricotta, chocolate chips, just a hint of orange, and finished with crushed pistachios so much that I order them whenever I see them on a menu. But we don’t go out all that often (because, you know, I love to cook!) so they are always a special treat. It just never occurred to me that I could make these delicate delights at home, but now, with this cannoli recipe, I can and I do. They are still really special—it’s just that now I get to have them more often!
The exact story surrounding the invention of this treat is unclear. Many believe cannoli were first made during the Arab rule of Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries. However, another legend has it that cannoli were first made in monasteries and convents in the 11th century after the island’s conversion to Catholicism; they were reserved for special occasions and religious festivals, including carnivale, the celebration leading up to Lent. By the 18th century, there were multiple convents making cannoli, and eventually, because people loved them so much, cannoli began to appear in bakeries all year long, at first just in Sicily and then all over Italy. Then, just before the turn of the 20th century, cannoli made its way to the United States via Italian immigrants and showed up on menus in Italian-owned restaurants.
This recipe has a lot of steps and requires some specific techniques, but don’t let that intimidate you: you’re making the cannoli shells and the filling yourself, so, naturally, it’s going to take some time and concentration. However, I promise you that no part of the procedure is difficult. The first time I made these cannoli, they were so delicious, but they didn’t look as beautiful as I wanted them to. And then two great things happened: one was that I relied on a little trick I used to use when I was a caterer, which was to act like everything I made was exactly the way it was supposed to be; the second was that I started another batch right after the first one was done—these came out perfectly, and we had two batches of heavenly cannoli!
Traditionally, cannoli are served at room temperature or cold. I used to love a plain espresso with them, but now my favorite way to have cannoli is with an Iced Cappuccino. No, wait, that’s not exactly true. I mean, yes, cannoli are wonderful with this espresso-based drink, but if it’s evening and I’m entertaining, I also love to have this beloved Italian dessert with another Italian favorite, sparkling Prosecco.
Tips for Perfect Cannoli
First things first: have everything you’re going to need ready to go before you start. That means a clean workspace to roll your dough, your metal cannoli forms, a large pot deep enough to fry the shells, a wire rack for when the shells are done, and a pastry bag with a tip big enough for those mini-chocolate chips to get through.
When making the dough, be sure your butter is chilled. It’s a good idea to have a pastry cutter to incorporate your cold butter into the flour, sugar, and cinnamon; although you can use your fingers to form this part of the dough into coarse crumbs, you’re only human, so those fingers are going to bring some unwanted warmth to that cold butter. Don’t over-knead the dough: just form a ball, push it away from you with the heels of your palms, fold it, push it again, and repeat for about 5 minutes until your dough is smooth. After you’ve chilled and divided your dough into four pieces, keep the ones you’re not rolling out in the fridge until you’re ready for them. If you don’t have a thermometer to test the heat of your oil, stick the handle of a wooden spoon or a chopstick into the oil: if small bubbles form around the wood and float up, it’s ready; if vigorous bubbling appears, the oil is too hot so take it off the heat for a few minutes to achieve the right temp. I know this seems like a lot of info, but so much of it is instinctual: you’re going to do great!
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can make both the shells and the filling ahead of time. Store them separately in airtight containers, and both will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (stick a paper towel in the container with shells to absorb any excess moisture). Assembled cannoli can last in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Can You Make Cannoli Without the Metal Cannoli Form?
If you plan to make them often (and you probably will after trying this recipe), it’s worth it to invest in the cannoli forms. But if you don’t have them, you can use a sugar cone as the shell instead.
Serving Suggestions
When you make these cannoli, you’re going to be so proud of yourself that you’re going to want to show them off! I know I do whenever I make them, so I invite a bunch of people over for an Italian dessert buffet! So much fun! My beautiful cannoli are the stars of the show, so I place them on a platter in the middle of the table. And then on one side of that platter, I have a classic Tiramisu and this amazing Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Cake with Amaretto Strawberries. On the other side, I serve creamy Zabaglione and crunchy Biscotti. All the flavors and textures are bellissimo!
Here are some other ideas for cannoli. You can dip fresh ones in either Chocolate or Caramel Sauce for another layer of yum! If you have leftover cannoli, crumble them up and mix them into rich Vanilla Ice Cream. Or, speaking of ice cream, you can make an incredible parfait that pulls in many of the cannoli flavors by layering Cinnamon Ice Cream, crushed-up cannoli, Orange Rosemary Pecans, and Orange Marmalade and then topping the whole thing with Homemade Whipped Cream. By the way, if you don’t love ricotta, you can always stuff your cannoli with whipped cream instead!
Cannoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- 1/3 cup Marsala wine
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white for sealing dough
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese drained
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon orange zest optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the Marsala wine and egg to form a dough. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll out one piece at a time to about 1/8 inch thickness.
- Cut out circles using a 4-inch round cutter.
- Wrap dough circles around cannoli forms, sealing the edges with a dab of egg white.
- Heat oil in a deep pot to 360°F.
- Fry the cannoli shells until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove with tongs and let cool on a wire rack.
- For the filling, mix ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Once shells are cool, pipe the filling into each shell from both ends.
- Dust with powdered sugar and chopped pistachios before serving.
Leave a Comment