| Cannolis are a great Italian dessert and | | | | around 350 degrees. Once it is at the |
| they were said to have been developed by | | | | proper temperature you will begin to fry |
| Sicilians in Palermo, Italy. These fried | | | | two, or three at a time in deep hot fat |
| wafers are filled with a mixture of | | | | for about 1 minute, or until lightly |
| ricotta, candied fruit, chocolate, and | | | | golden. Remove with tongs to paper |
| other ingredients, and they are very, | | | | towels to drain, you will then let cool |
| very tasty! Sicilians are supposed to | | | | for about 30 seconds to one minute and |
| have created this great dessert recipe, | | | | then slip out cannoli form, holding |
| and I think that they are just | | | | shell carefully so you will not break |
| delicious. I hope that this recipe is | | | | it. Cool shells before filling. Let them |
| fairly easy to follow. You will need | | | | hang out while you will start to make |
| some type of dowel or metal tube that | | | | your filling. |
| you will use to form out your cannoli | | | | Ingredients for the Cannoli filling: |
| shells. If you have a 3 ½ inch in | | | | 3 lb. ricotta cheese, that has had |
| diameter ring or even a 3 inch ring, you | | | | moisture removed |
| will need this to form the shape of your | | | | 2 1/2 Cup of confectioners' sugar |
| shells, also. You will also need a deep | | | | 1/4 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate pieces |
| fryer, or a pan that is deep enough for | | | | or grated sweet chocolate |
| these shells to float in oil. | | | | 1/4 Cup candied cherries, finely chopped |
| Ingredients for Cannoli Shells: | | | | 1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon |
| 3 Cups of unsifted flour | | | | 1/2 Cup of chopped pistachio nuts |
| 1/4 Teaspoon of cinnamon | | | | Confectioners' sugar to dust each of the |
| 1/2 Teaspoon of salt | | | | finished Cannoli's maybe about 1/2 Cup |
| 3 Tablespoon of granulated sugar | | | | First thing you will want to do is take |
| 2 eggs | | | | your ricotta and place into cheesecloth |
| 2 Tablespoon of firm butter cut into | | | | and wrap it into a ball and then you |
| small cubes | | | | will tie a knot in the top part of the |
| 1/4 Cup of a good Marsala wine | | | | ball you have made. You will want to |
| 1-2 egg whites, whisked slightly | | | | hold over night if possible to drain the |
| First thing is to sift the flour with | | | | water from the ricotta. If you have some |
| salt, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. | | | | way to hang the cheese ball in your |
| You will make a well in the center of | | | | refrigerator that would be best. You |
| your sifted flour mixture. In the | | | | will need to have a bowl under the |
| middle of the well you have made you | | | | cheese to catch all of the moisture that |
| will add the egg and butter and start | | | | will drain off of the ricotta. The |
| mixing with a fork. You will work the | | | | shells that you have made will hole for |
| egg mixture with the fork from the | | | | a couple of days if you want to make |
| center out, to incorporate the moist egg | | | | these in stages. They are worth the |
| with the flour mixture. You will then | | | | wait, and the time taken to make these |
| add your Marsala wine slowly until dough | | | | little delicacies. |
| begins to come together like a playdough | | | | First you will take the drained ricotta |
| mixture. You will then start working | | | | and get it into the bowl and work it for |
| the dough with your hands to form the | | | | a minute or two to get it more pliable. |
| dough into a dough ball. You will then | | | | You will gently start to combine the |
| cover and let the dough rise for about | | | | cheese, and the sugar into a mixing |
| 10-15 minutes. | | | | bowl, and fold in with a spatula until |
| If you have a stainless area to work on | | | | you obtain a light, airy blend of |
| great, if not you will need a wooden | | | | ingredients. You will start to fold in |
| cutting board. You will need to slightly | | | | the minced candied fruit and the |
| dust the area you plan to work on with a | | | | chocolate very gently. You will then |
| small amount of flour. You will then | | | | start to spoon the cheese filling into a |
| roll out the dough into 1/4 inch | | | | pastry bag, or a large Ziploc if you do |
| thickness. You will then use your 3 ½ | | | | not have a pastry bag. You will then |
| rings and cut the cannoli shell circles. | | | | twist the top into a knot to keep the |
| You will then use a rolling pin to roll | | | | filling from emerging, and fill each of |
| the circles into oblongs or ovals. You | | | | the Cannoli shells, squirting the |
| will then take your dowels or tubes and | | | | filling in from either end. |
| wrap the dough around cannoli forms. You | | | | Once you have all of the shells filled |
| will then whisk your egg white, and seal | | | | you will dip the ends of the cannoli in |
| your dough edges by using a brush or | | | | the pistachios. You will then arrange |
| very clean hands if you have no brush. | | | | all of the Cannolis on a platter, and |
| You will then roll up ever so slightly | | | | sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, |
| the ends so they will have a very faint | | | | and they're ready. If you would like to |
| lip or ring on the edge of the cooked | | | | garnish you can save some of the candied |
| product. | | | | cherries and place them on the center of |
| At some point when you are ready to get | | | | each Cannoli after the powdered sugar |
| your shells into the oil to start | | | | has been applied. Then serve, and enjoy. |
| cooking them you will heat your oil to | | | | |