Cannoli Cream Dessert Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium size bowl mix together first 4 ingredients til smooth.
• In a seperate bowl mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Take 2 wine glasses or other fluted stemware and place 1/4 of the crumb mixture in the bottom of each glass making a well in the center. Then add 1/4 the cannoli cream mixture on top. Repeat this one more time. Then garnish with chopped fruit and shredded chocolate.
• Chill til ready to serve.

Steps:

• For the shell dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add the egg yolk and the white wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
• To roll and fry the shells: In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil, and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.
• To fill the cannolis: Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli molds. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• To make shells, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
• Cut in butter.
• Add egg yolks; stir with a fork.
• Stir in wine, 1 tablespooon at a time, with a fork until dough clings together.
• Form a ball with the dough and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Roll dough almost paper thin, on a well-floured surface.
• Using the rim of a margarita glass (about 3-4 inches across), make circle imprints into rolled dough.
• Using a paring knife, make sure circles are cut all the way through.
• Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube, overlaping the ends and press to seal, flaring out the edges slightly.
• Fry one or two at a time in hot melted shortening (about 360°F) for approximately 1 minute, turning to brown all sides.
• Remove from hot grease and drain on paper towels, seam side down.
• Let cool a minute or two before trying to remove metal tube.
• To remove the tube hold cannoli shell down on the paper towel and carefully slide the tube out one end.
• Leave cannoil shells on paper towel, seam side down to cool completely.
• ~NOTE~Shells can be stored in airtight containers and made several days prior to filling.
• For filling, drain ricotta cheese over cheesecloth if ricotta is watery.
• Combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.
• Squeeze Maraschino cherries with paper towels to remove all liquid.
• (If you don't squeeze them good, you will have a pink water filling!).
• Stir in cherries and chocolate chips into the ricotta mixture, being careful not to over mix.
• For a lighter filling, you may whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to form stiff peaks, and fold into filling mixture at this step.
• Chill filling for about 30 minutes before piping into cooled cannoli shells.
• You may garnish the cannoli by sprinkling powdered sugar on top.
• Whipped cream, a cherry, and shaved chocolate can also be used to garnish the top.
• Keep refrigerated until time of serving.

Steps:

• Tip the flour, sugar, bicarb, cinnamon and cocoa (if using) into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients until there are no more lumps. Mix the egg yolk and marsala and add this to the bowl, then mix the whole lot together and knead to a smooth dough. Wrap and rest in the fridge. (Can be made ahead and fried the next day.)
• Fill a deep-fat fryer, wok or deep saucepan a third of the way up with oil. Cut the dough into pieces and, working one piece at a time, roll them out as thinly as you can - use a pasta machine if you have one. Heat the oil and keep an eye on it until it reaches 180C. Lay the dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut out circles about 11cm across. Wrap each one around a cannoli mould, using some of the egg white to stick the top edge down and they're ready for frying.It's important to take care when cooking with hot oil. Read our guide on how to deep-fry safely to avoid accidents in the kitchen.
• Deep-fry the cannoli (with their moulds) one at a time, making sure they cook all over. They should take about 45-60 seconds in all and should be visibly golden brown (keep cooking a little longer if they aren't) and the dough will bubble and blister. Carefully take each one out of the oil using the tongs and shake the cannoli off the mould very carefully onto kitchen paper. As you fry each one, make sure the oil stays at 180C at all times and doesn't get any hotter. These will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
• When the cannoli are cold, dip the end of each one into chocolate, then dip some of those into the pistachios. Leave to cool and harden. Beat the ricotta and mascarpone together, then stir in the candied peel and sugar. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a wide star nozzle and pipe it into the cannoli. Serve soon after filling.