Cannoli, a traditional Italian pastry, are a perfect dessert for any occasion. These crispy tube-shaped shells are filled with a sweet and creamy ricotta cheese filling, and dusted with powdered sugar. In this recipe, we'll show you how to make your own cannoli shells from scratch and fill them with a delicious homemade ricotta cheese filling.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, drained
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup candied orange peel
Start by making the dough for the cannoli shells. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the chilled cubed butter and mix with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the egg and white wine and mix until the dough comes together. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out into thin sheets, about 1/8 inch thick. Use a round cutter to cut circles from the dough. Wrap each circle around a cannoli tube and brush the edges with the beaten egg white to seal. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 375°F. Fry the cannoli shells until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oil with tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
To make the filling, mix the drained ricotta cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and candied orange peel. Fill a pastry bag with the ricotta filling and pipe it into both ends of the cooled cannoli shells. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.