Grab The Cannoli!

I always wanted to make cannolis, but was afraid they wouldn't come out right.  I will try anything once, so I did make them and you guessed it, they didn't come out right, well almost.  The shells came out perfect, it was the filling I couldn't master.  The first batch I threw out, which was expensive, but there was no way to save it.  It was too runny and didn't set up right.  Headed back to the grocery store, at 7:00 PM,  for more ingredients because I was going to get this right if it took all night. Then my gears started going and I put together a filling that is rich, creamy, and tasty I might add.  Making homemade cannolis is a little time consuming, as least for me, because I only had 4 cannoli forms and my recipe made 30 cannoli shells.  But let me just say, they are well worth it.  I have cannoli connoisseurs in my family, they have eaten a lot of them from Philadelphia, New York and beyond.  They put them to the test and I have to say they fared well and passed.  Recipe is below.

Some of the ingredients you will need. Mixing up the cannoli shell batter.

Dough is mixed and resting in the refrigerator.  The 5 1/2 inch metal cannoli forms.

 I used a pasta machine because the dough has to be rolled very thin.  You can also use a rolling pin. Made an oval shape on computer to use as my guide so the shells would be somewhat uniform in shape and size.

Cutting the dough into shape.

Onto the forms.  Fried and cooling off.

All ready to be filled.

 Some of the filling ingredients.  Creamy fluffy filling.

 All filled, oops I ate it! So good........

Cannoli Shells

3 cups of flour

1/4 cup of sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg

1 egg yolk, reserve the white for sealing shells

½ cup of Marsala wine, Marsala cooking wine or red wine will do.

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

2 Tbsp. cold water

1 small bottle of canola oil

Directions

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, sugar and cinnamon.  Cut the butter into the flour mix with a pastry blender, or if you don't have one, use 2 knives cutting back and forth, until little pea sized balls appear.  Make a small well in the flour and add the egg, egg yolk, wine, vinegar and water.  Mix it with a fork until it starts to form a ball.   Then dump it out of the bowl, onto a clean flat surface, and finish kneading it by hand until a soft ball of dough is formed.  You can add a few drops of water if it seems too dry.  As you are kneading, you may have to add a little bit of flour if the dough is too sticky.   Form dough into a ball,  tucking ends under, put into a bowl, cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

If using a pasta machine divide the dough in to 3 pieces.  Start by flattening the pieces of dough before putting into the machine, sprinkle it with flour and also sprinkle the rollers.  Roll the dough through the machine starting on the first setting.   Then progress through all the settings, each time you roll it through, until you get to the thinnest setting.   Lightly dust your surface with flour and place the pressed dough on that surface.  Use your 5 ½ x 4 inch cutout to cut the dough into shape.  Make sure your shapes are dusted with flour for ease in getting them off the forms after frying them.  Roll the dough onto the cannoli form and seal the edge with a little of the egg white and fry.

If rolling out with a rolling pin, cut into 4 pieces.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is very thin, like a crepe would be but thinner.  Keep it dusted with flour and cut into shape. Roll the dough onto the cannoli form and seal edge with a little of the egg white and fry.

Heat the oil on medium - high in a deep heavy skillet or pan.  When a piece of dough dropped in the oil, and then floats to the top,  the oil is ready for frying.  Drop the cannoli, a few at a time, into the oil with tongs.  Turning the shells,  fry until golden brown on all sides.  They cook in about 2-3 minutes so you have to watch them carefully.  Use tongs to remove them from the oil onto a paper towel covered cooling rack.  Be careful, the tubes are very hot.  Using a towel remove the shell from the form.  The first time some may stick until the tubes are seasoned. Keep repeating until all shells are fried. Note: I turned my oil down to simmer while I was taking the shells off the forms and re-rolling them on the form.  You do not want the oil to burn!

Place the shells in an airtight container until you are ready to use them, they can be kept for up to 1 month.  Only fill the shells if you are eating them right away.

Filling

1  32 oz. container of Sorrentos Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

2  8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese, softened

2 ½  cups of powdered sugar, sifted

1 ½  tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ½  cups of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Drain any liquid from the ricotta cheese and put it through a food processor.   Pour into a bowl.   If you don’t have a food processor, mix it with a hand mixer until all the lumps are out.  Put the cream cheese through the food processor, or mix it with a hand mixer until creamy.   Combine the cream cheese with the ricotta and mix together.  Add the sugar and the vanilla and mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Put into the refrigerator for about 2 hours to set up the cheeses.  Fill cannoli shells with cheese only when you are ready to eat them or up to an hour before serving.  Put the filling in a zip top bag and cut the tip off one of the bottom ends to fill the cannoli shell.  Fill one end to the center then the other end.  Dust filled cannoli with powdered sugar.