Cannoli cups (a simplified version of the traditional Sicilian cannoli) from Antonella Bonesse, author of Cucina Per Te. Read below as Antonella shares herrecipe and its story.
Being raised in Italy as a child, I must admit I get terrible nostalgia for the Italian desserts and pastries. There is just something about Italian desserts that make them memorable and hard to surpass. No holiday ever went by during my childhood in Italy without visiting a pastry shop or having family bring over a tray for the special occasion. Eating pastries after a hearty meal was surely a sacred event in our home.
When it comes to desserts, Italy sure has quite some variety. With the sweet indulgent desserts of the south, and the creamy sophisticated pastries of the north, it seems like there is no escape from indulging in a mouthwatering adventure.
My favorite, of course, is the Sicilian cannoli. I cannot resist them. Not only are these pastries delicious, but I remember being a child and marveling at the beautiful pastry shop window displays. Beautiful is an understatement. If you ever decide to visit Italy, make sure to visit a pasticceria!
Since I love Sicilian cannoli, I decided to simplify the recipe (omit the frying all together) and make them into cannoli cups…
Who taught you this recipe?
My mom taught me how to make Sicilian cannoli; however, one year I wanted to make them and didn’t have any rollers. So, I played around with the recipe and came up with cannoli cups.
How long has this recipe been passed through your family?
Regular cannolis have been in my family for over 3 generations.
When do you like to cook this dish?
I make regular cannolis often. Weekly actually. I have my own set of clients who order them from me all the time. Some of them even refer to me as the cannoli queen.Cannoli cups I make for holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, any occasion.
What is your favorite memory of cooking this dish?
I would have to say it is more about how I make them than a specific memory. See, to make regular cannolis you need rollers. Years ago I complained to my Dad about how I hate metal rollers because I often would get burned.My dad ended up sending me rollers he made himself from dried bamboo that he actually has on his land in Italy. My dad explained to me that’s how they used to make cannoli shells back in the day.I feel a great pride and connection with my family when I make cannolis using my bamboo rollers.
Ingredients:
For the cannoli cups –
- 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick very cold unsalted butter, diced
- 2-3 tablespoons ice water
For the filling –
- 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese at room temperature (or two 8oz containers of cream cheese)
- 1 cup ( or more) powered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest ( or vanilla)
- Chocolate chips (optional)
Preparation:
To make the cannoli cups, prepare a pie dough –
- Mix 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoonssugar in a medium-size bowl.
- Cut 1 stick chilled unsalted butter into pieces.
- With a mixer, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
- Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To make the filling –
- In a large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy.
- Place filling in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate for at-least a half hour.
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat oven 425°F.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pie dough with a rolling pin.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and granulated sugar to then press into dough with a rolling pin. Dough should be about 1/2 an inch in thickness.
- With a 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds.Lightly press each pastry round into a muffin cup.
- Bake about 10 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown.
- Cool completely in pans, about 15-20 minutes.
- Just before serving, remove the filling from refrigerator. Cut bottom corner off bag; pipe a tablespoon worth of filling (or more) into each cup. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and serve. Store any remaining pastry cup at room temperature and filling in the refrigerator.
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You can purchase Antonella’s cookbook,Cucina Per Te,atAmazonandBlurb.
FAQs
While many recipes call for the use of metal cannoli tubesto shape the shells, we recognize not everyone has them on-hand. And there's no need to fork over the money when you can create makeshift cannoli tubes at home with aluminum foil!
How do I make my cannoli filling thicker? ›
To thicken, add cornstarch 1 tbsp. at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add cannoli cream to a bowl to dip your Golden Cannoli Chips, or a pastry bag to fill your Golden Cannoli Shells, and serve with your favorite toppings!
How do you store baked cannoli shells? ›
To store your cannoli shells, place them carefully in an airtight container lined with a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb any moisture present, and the airtight container will prevent the crispy shells from becoming stale.
What makes cannolis so good? ›
For a cannoli to truly taste its best, it needs to be filled as quickly as possible. If it is filled too late, the cannoli itself will taste soggy. Typically, the filling is fresh ricotta mixed with sugar, and the mixture is piped directly into the pastry as quickly as possible.
What is a substitute for cannelloni shells? ›
Rice-flour crepes make a great substitute for cannelloni pasta - oregonlive.com.
Can you buy cannoli tubes? ›
Cannoli Tubes, EUICAE 5 inch Large Stainless Steel Cannoli Forms Non-stick cream horn Danish Pastry Molds for Croissant Shell Cream Roll Pack of 15.
Which brand of ricotta is best for cannoli? ›
Classic Cannoli Ricotta | Galbani Cheese.
How do you keep cannoli shells crisp after filling? ›
First, make sure they're well wrapped - either in plastic wrap or in a tightly sealed container. Second, if possible, store them in the fridge rather than at room temperature. And third, don't wait too long to eat them! Once they start to lose their crispness, they won't regain it no matter what you do.
Why don t my cannoli shells have bubbles? ›
Oil that is too cool will cook the dough in place without bubbling it up. It results in a shell that is crunchy and hard, not crispy and light. Oil that is too hot can burn your shells, but it can also create too much steam too quickly and puff up the shells in a bad way.
When should you fill cannoli shells? ›
How do I make a filled cannoli/ serve for a party? Pipe the ricotta filling into each end of the shell no more than one hour prior to serving. Garnish with powdered sugar, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or anything your heart desires. Keep refrigerated and enjoy!
Yes, cannolis need to be refrigerated. Don't leave them at room temperature for more than two to three hours at a time. Store them in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Are cannolis good the next day? ›
Cannoli shells are hard and dry so they retain their crunch, even in the fridge (at least for a day or two). And some shells have a chocolate coating inside so the ricotta filling doesn't actually touch them.
What is the difference between a cannoli and a Sicilian cannoli? ›
There is no difference because by definition there are only sicilian cannoli. A cannolo is a sicilian pastry.
What time of day should I eat cannoli? ›
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Yes, they are simply dessert, but sometimes they have fruit. That makes it good enough for breakfast in my opinion… Think of how great they would pair with a refreshing mimosa. Honestly, if we get to have pastries at breakfast, cannolis should be included.
How many cannolis per person? ›
We recommend two cannoli per person. Assortments can be customized with a one dozen minimum per flavor.
Is a cream horn the same as a cannoli? ›
However, they're not exactly the same thing. The cream horn has a puff pastry shell that's filled with sweetened whipped cream or custard. The cannoli, meanwhile, has a fried pastry shell that's filled with a ricotta mixture that tends to be denser than cream horn filling.
Is cannoli made of puff pastry? ›
Puff Pastry Cannoli – flaky puff pastry shells filled with a sweet ricotta filling and topped with chocolate chips. Super simple to make and they taste amazing!! Puff pastry shells, heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, ricotta cheese, and vanilla extract.
What are cannoli shells made of? ›
For the shells: all-purpose flour, white sugar, ground cinnamon, shortening, Marsala wine, water, distilled white vinegar, one whole egg, one egg yolk, one egg white, and a quart of oil for frying.
What is the difference between cannoli and cannelloni? ›
Cannelloni—not to be confused with the Italian tubular dessert cannoli—is a type of lasagna noodle; the term "manicotti" can refer to the same pasta or the baked dish. Dried cannelloni and manicotti tubes are sold both plain and ribbed.
