Mini Cannoli Cups Recipes

Steps:

• For cups: preheat oven 425 degrees. unroll pie crust on lightly floured surface and sprinkle the tops with the natural sugar and cinnamon. lightly roll over it with rolling pin so that the sugar and cinnamon are pressed into the dough.
• with a 2.5 or 3" round biscuit cookie cutter, cut circles and press them inside an ungreased mini muffin pan to create the pastry cup.
• bake 10 minutes or until cups are golden.remove from oven and allow to cool. once cool, they can be filled.
• for filling: in a large bowl with an electric mixer combine all ingredients except the choc chips and mix well till creamy. place filling in a 1 gal plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cups.
• remove filling from fridge, cut the bottom of corner of bag and pipe a little less then a tablespoon into the cannoli cups. sprinkle with mini choc chips and dust with powdered sugar.
• tips: for a thicker filling, you can strain the ricotta in cheese cloth place in a bowl and covered overnite.
• filling can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in fridge.
• a variation in the cannolie cream that works well is 1/4 teaspoon almond or orange extract.
• other toppings that go well are chopped toasted almonds, choc sprinkles, candied orange pieces, chopped candied red cherries as well as a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• (i didnt have natural sugar when making these so i just used combo reg sugar and cinnamon).

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine all ingredients for the filling except the chocolate chips and mix well until creamy. Place the filling in a 1-gallon plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cups. Filling may seem thin but will firm up slightly when it's refrigerated. 2. Heat oven to 425°F. Unroll the pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the top of each crust with the natural sugar and the cinnamon. Lightly roll over it with a rolling pin so that sugar and cinnamon are pressed into the dough. 3. With a 2 1/2-3 inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out circles and lightly press them inside an ungreased mini muffin or mini cupcake pan to create a pastry cup. 4. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cups are golden. Remove from oven and allow cups to cool. Once cups are cool they can be removed from tin and filled. Remove filling from refrigerator, cut one of the bottom corners off the bag and pipe a little less than a tablespoon of filling into the cooled cannoli cups. 5. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, dust with powdered sugar and serve. Tips: Cups should be filled shortly before they are eaten so the don't get soggy. If you wish to make them ahead of time, you can make the cups and the cream and keep them separate. Once you are ready to eat, you can fill, decorate and serve.

Steps:

• Thaw the pastry at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Spray 12 (2 1/2-inch) muffin pan cups with cooking spray. Heat the oven to 375°F.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 (3-inch) squares. Press squares into the prepared muffin pan cups. Brush the top edges of pastry with the egg and prick the bottom of the pastry cups with a fork.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a small knife, cut a small slit in the puffed center and gently push down. Remove pastry cups from pan and cool completely.
• Place the ricotta cheese, sugar, vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and orange peel, if desired, in a medium bowl. Beat with a whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Pipe or spoon a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture into each pastry cup. Sprinkle with the chocolate, nuts or additional cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 12 desserts.
• TIP: Time Saving Tip: The ricotta filling mixture can be made 1 day ahead.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Roll pie dough out to desired thickness. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over one side and firmly press into the dough. Place a nonstick mini cupcake pan on top of dough for an outline. Cut out dough cups using a knife or biscuit butter. Press dough pieces into the mini cups; do not grease.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dough has slightly puffed and is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Mix ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Place into a plastic bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, cut a small hole in the corner tip of the plastic bag and pipe into pastry shells.