Cannoli & Stroppino Recipies

Cannoli Recipe

Ingredients

Shells

• yields 12-16 shells
• 2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon of Granulated Sugar
• 2 tablespoons of Ground Cinnamon (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon of Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of Unsalted Butter – cut into small pieces
• 1 Egg Yolk
• ½ to ¾ cup of dry White Wine

Filling (Traditional)

• 2 cups of Ricotta Cheese, preferably whole milk
• ¾ cup of Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
• Pinch of Allspice (optional)
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (optional)¼ cup of Heavy Cream (not always needed – depends on filling)
• ¼ cp of small semisweet Chocolate Chips
• Zest of 1 or ½ Lemon (depending on taste)
• Peanut Oil for frying (better than Canola Oil) (amount depends on size of pot or deep frier)
• Flour for rolling
• Egg lightly beaten for egg wash

Steps

Shells

In a medium to large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, and salt.

Work the butter pieces into the flour with fingers until it is coarse like sand.

Add the white wine and egg yolk and mix with hands until it is a smooth dough (add additional wine if it is still too sandy and dry).

Create a softball like shape and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to a day or while making the filling(s).

Filling(s)

Drain the ricotta cheese of excess liquid in a strainer and let sit.

Using a mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream until fairly stiff and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese until smooth.

Incorporate the powdered sugar, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla extract and mix with large spoon.

If the ricotta mixture seems to thin, fold in some whipped cream.

Stir in chocolate chips and lemon zest.

Refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes up to several days.

*** Fillings can be as creative by using the Ricotta as a based, such as:

Raspberry White Chocolate (incorporating melted white chocolate and raspberry preserves)

Toasted Coconut & Lime (incorporating Coconut Cream, toasted coconut, and lime zest)

Chocolate & Orange (aka “Sicilian”) (incorporating candied orange peel, orange extract,

and chocolate chips)

Cooking the Shells

Let the dough come to room temperature unwrapped while pouring peanut oil (or canola oil) into pot or deep fryer and bring oil to 360-365 degrees F.

Spread flour on a smooth surface and rolling pin, and roll out the dough until 1/4 to 1/8 inches thick (too thin will cause shell to tear).

Using a 3-4” mold or glass bowl with edges, cut the dough into rounds.

Using cannoli molds, lay a mold long ways in the middle of the round and wrap one side of the dough over the mold, and then do the same on the other side, overlapping the dough.

Flair out the ends so they appear like the bells on the end of a trumpet.

Use egg wash to seal the folds over the mold.

Cook the shell in the oil for 4-5 minutes (do a test first and then taste and ensure the shells is fully cooked).

Remove the shell from the oil with metal tongs and place shell with the mold on a paper towel – caution as the oil is dangerously hot.

After the shell has become less hot and using a kitchen towel, hold the cannoli mold and slowly twist the shell off the mold without breaking the shell. Let cool.

To Fill the Shells

Just before serving, use a pastry bag and pipe in the filling from each end of the shell and ensure that the filling completely fills the entire shell and bring mixture to very end of the shell so there is enough mixture to dip into a topping.

OTHER HINTS

· To upgrade the presentation, hand-dip each end of the cannoli shell in melted white or dark chocolate after the shells have been made, cooked, and cooled yet before being filled

· Wait to fill each cannoli (using a pastry bag) until moments before serving

· Keep cooked and dipped cannoli shells in an air-tight container until being filled

· After filling the shell dip the filling at the end of each side of the cannoli with toppings such as chopped pistachios, sprinkles, chocolate chips, candied fruit, etc.

· Sprinkle Powdered Sugar on the finished and plated cannoli for extra great presentation