Channelling My Inner Sicilian: Making Homemade Cannoli on a Rainy Day

As I sit looking out of the window at the gloomy, rainy day outside, I can't help but think I'd rather anywhere warm and sunny today ... Ooh, maybe somewhere Sicilian ... Ooh, ooh and eating cannoli!! But since a trip to Sicily isn't in the cards, I’m bringing out my inner Sicilian and making my own home homemade cannoli instead ... I'm not even letting the lack of owning traditional cannoli tubes stand in my way ... Persistence is the key here, I will get my cannoli!! ... I'm making my own tubes by cutting up a foil baking tray and wrapping it around a whisk handle. I may not be somewhere warm and sunny, but these homemade cannoli definitely hit the right crispy, creamy delicious spot.

Creative Cannoli Tubes

One significant challenge arose when I realized I didn’t own any traditional cannoli tubes. Typically, these slender metal cylinders shape the dough into its iconic form. However, necessity breeds innovation!

By cutting an aluminium foil baking tray into strips and wrapping them around the handle of a whisk, I fashioned makeshift cannoli tubes. While they may not win any aesthetic awards, they certainly show that a little creativity goes a long way in the kitchen!

Homemade Cannoli - The Recipe

(I followed Cooking Classy's recipe as follows):

Ingredients

Shells

• 1 3/4 cups (250g) plain flour (scoop and level to measure)

• 1 1/2 tbsp (18g) granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3 tbsp (43g) unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

• 1/3 cup marsala wine

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg white

• Vegetable oil for frying

Filling

• 32 oz. whole milk ricotta, strained

• 1 1/2 cups (180g) icing sugar

• 3/4 cup (126g) mini chocolate chips

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• Chopped unsalted pistachios, optional

Method

• To a food processor add flour, sugar and salt. Pulse in short bursts about 10 times. Add butter and pulse in short bursts just until there aren't clumps of butter.

• Add in marsala wine and whole egg. Pulse to mix well, while adding additional wine to bring dough together in a soft shaggy mass (you shouldn't need more than a few Tbsp extra wine).

• Shape into a round, transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rest at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

• Heat a large pot with 1 1/2-inches vegetable oil to 345 - 355 degrees. Working with half the dough at a time (and keeping other half covered in the bowl) roll dough out very thinly onto a well floured surface (nearly 1/16-inch).

• Using a 3 1/2 to 4-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Spray cannoli forms with cooking spray then wrap individual dough circles around each cannoli form, while brushing about 3/4-inch of one end lightly with egg white (use a pastry brush or just your fingertip). Press edge to to opposite side.

• Using metal tongs, carefully immerse shell in preheated oil and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 1 - 2 minutes (be sure to watch oil temp so oil doesn't get too hot and burn shells. You can fry up to 6 at a time).

• Remove from oil using metal tongs to grasp the cannoli shell (let oil from inside forms drain back into pot), transfer to paper towels to drain. Use metal tongs to hold mould and wrap a paper towel around shell to carefully slide off of form.

• Let forms cool and repeat process with remaining dough circles. You can shake excess flour from scraps, press back together, cover in bowl and let relax at least 10 minutes then reuse.

• Allow to cool on a wire rack then fill with cannoli filling and decorate as desired (with melted chocolate on edges, chopped pistachios, mini chocolate chips or dust tops with icing sugar).

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  The Filling

• In a mixing bowl fold and stir together strained ricotta, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and cinnamon. Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe filling into cooled cannoli shells.