These Sicilian Cannoli are sure to satisfy the most discerning palates. With a crisp shell and delectable filling, you’ll find yourself wanting more than one!
Ingredients: For the shells – · 200 g (7 oz) of “00” flour · 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder · 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder · 20 g (0,7 oz) of softened lard or butter · 1 teaspoon of coffee powder (optional) · 35 g (1,2 oz) of icing sugar · 1 teaspoon of fine salt · 1 egg of about 50 g (1,7 oz) · 50 ml of Marsala wine · plenty of peanut oil (for frying) For the filling – · 180 g (6 oz) of white sugar · 60 g (2 oz) of dark chocolate drops . chopped pistachios, candied fruit and icing sugar for decoration |
Instructions:
1. Get ready with all the ingredients and start making Sicilian cannoli recipe by placing the flour in a large bowl.
2. Add acing sugar, cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, coffee powder and fine salt.
3. Mix with a wooden spoon then add lard or butter (at room temperature), depending on what you have chosen as an ingredient.
4. Add the egg and stir, mixing the ingredients.
5. Finally add the Marsala wine then with your hands begin to knead the ingredients.
6. When the dough is homogeneous and smooth (about 5 minutes working), make a loaf.
7. Wrap it in a kitchen film, then let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
8. Now take out the Sicilian cannoli dough from the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin up to a thickness of about 3 mm, then, with a pastry ring (or a cup) of 10 or 12 cm (4 or 5 inch) in diameter , make some cannoli disks.
9. Gently remove the disc from the work surface and wrap it around the cannoli tube.
10. IMPORTANT TIP: wet the ends of the disk with a little cold water and press well to close it. This will prevent the cannoli from opening during cooking.
11. Fry the cannoli for one or two minutes in plenty of peanut oil. As soon as the dough becomes golden, remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and let cool. Finally remove the cannoli from the tubes. Now that Sicilian cannoli shells are ready let’s make the filling.
12. Place the ricotta in a bowl and add the sugar then stir and mix the two ingredients.
PLEASE NOTE: the ricotta must be rather dry; it is for this reason that sheep’s ricotta is preferred. You can also use the cow one, but you have to let it dry from its liquids for 2 days.
13. Pass the ricotta through a sieve to make it creamier (recommended step for those who are perfectionists but not mandatory for the success of Sicilian cannoli)
14. Now add the chocolate drops, mix well and store in the fridge till the moment to serve.
IMPORTANT: cannoli must be filled ONLY at the time of serving, this to prevent the shells from becoming too soft. If you want to have them already filled, you will have to line the inside of the cannoli with a layer of chocolate.
15. So now it’s the time to fill our traditional Sicilian cannoli. Let’s start with filling a pastry bag with the ricotta and chocolate cream.
16. Take the cannoli (which in the meantime you will have kept at room temperature) and fill them with cream with the help of the pastry bag, Then decorate them with chopped pistachios or/and candied fruit.
17. Place the Sicilian cannoli in a serving dish, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.
Storage
We recommend filling the Sicilian cannoli when serving. The cream can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Cannoli shells can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days, covered with a cloth.
Source: “Sicilian Cannoli Recipe”. Recipe. www.recipesfromitaly.com. N. p. 31 Aug. 2019. Web. Sept. 2022.
By Recipe Contributor
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