Well, I promised you a cannoli recipe so here you go.
My mom is known for her cannolis. You will not taste a better cannoli. I promise you. I will not purchase cannolis at bakeries because they taste like dirt next to these. Seriously. They're THAT good. When mom has a party? People come. Not for the party, not to see family, not for the holiday....but for the CANNOLI!!!
Although, in all honesty, this isn't actually my mom's recipe. She got this recipe from one of my Grandma's friends. So I kinda feel a little dirty for sharing this. Like I'm sharing someone else's secret family recipe. But I think it's safe to say that my Grandma's friend isn't reading this blog....so....you know....
And since I'm being all honest and stuff...I should probably also point out that I've never actually made this recipe myself. Because I don't have any of these:
It's on my to-do list to acquire some cannoli shell tubes of my very own but I still haven't gotten around to it.
I've been making them with my mom for years. My brother and I used to tag team it with her in her kitchen making the shells when we were growing up. Making the shells is a bit of a chore. And almost requires more than one person. Unless you have...like....50 of the above pictured tubes. But it's sooooo worth it!
So, without further ado....I present to you my mom's famous cannoli recipe:
Cannoli shell:
4 cups of flour
3/4 cup Crisco
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
20 tbsp of water or wine (there are 16 tbsp to a cup)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
(makes approx. 50 cannolis)
The key to a good flaky shell is to NOT work the dough too much..."cut" the Crisco into the dry ingredients until the mixture is no bigger than pea sized, then add the egg and slowly stir in the water until it forms a ball.
Mom usually makes this in advance and refrigerates the dough. It's easier to roll and work with when it's cold. Roll it thin (using flour so it doesn't stick), like less than an eight of an inch. Use a round cookie cutter (or a cup or a glass...anything round will do)...there are different sized tubes so you'll have to experiment with the size of the circle you're cutting. Wrap the cut circle around the tube and seal the edge with water...be sure the edges are sealed good because they tend to pop open when frying.
Confession: My brother and I used to pray for shells that popped open because then mom let us eat them. You can't fill a cannoli shell if it pops open. =) And sometimes....just sometimes....we'd purposely not seal it well. Sorry mom.
Fill a pan with a whole lotta vegetable oil and crank the burner up to "high". When oil sizzles with a splatter of water...it's ready. Electric deep fryer works too. Gently place several of the cannoli shells in the oil and fry until deep golden brown. If you have many tubes then making these are no big deal....but if you only have a hand full it becomes a chore because you have to wait for the tubes to cool before reloading the circles of dough. Hence, our tag teaming it as children. When you pull the tubes from the oil and slide the shell off the tube...place the shell on paper towel to soak up extra oil.
The shells can be made several days in advance and keep well.
Cannoli filling:
5 cups of milk
1 cinnamon stick
2.5 cups of sugar
1 cup of cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
Heat sugar, milk, and cinnamon, leaving a little milk out to mix with the cornstarch. When milk comes to a boil add cornstarch/milk mixture. Mix until thick stirring continuously. Scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir so the milk doesn't burn...cuz then you end up with yucky ugly brown chunks in your filling. Put in the frig. When cooled, stir in vanilla. (Fills approx. 25 cannolis).
The easiest way to fill the cannoli shell is to use a cake decorator's bag such as this:
You're still not done.
Then you mix (very) finely chopped walnuts and some (very) finely chopped Hershey's chocolate together in a bowl. You can even mix some of the finely chopped Hershey's chocolate into the cooled filling. Yummy. Then dip the ends of the filled cannolis into the nut/chocolate mixture.
For best results...don't fill the shells too early. The shells with get a little soggy and lose their flakiness if you fill them too soon.
And that's it.
I'm going to make some soon....just as soon as I purchase my very own tubes....and take pictures along the way.
If you make these? You MUST share your opinion with me . It'll make my mom happy. =)
FAQs
THE BEST RICOTTA CHEESE:
A huge component of this Homemade Cannoli Cream is, of course, the delicious Galbani® Ricotta Cheese. This rich and creamy cheese can be found in your local market's dairy aisle and is the perfect cheese to use for a delicious and rich cannoli cream.
What is an authentic cannoli made of? ›
A cannoli is a tube-shaped Italian dessert that consists of fried pastry dough stuffed with a sweet, creamy cheese filling. The crispy pastry shell is made with the usual suspects: flour, sugar, whole eggs, and butter. It's usually spiked with marsala, a fortified wine that adds distinct flavor and sweetness.
What is the difference between Sicilian and regular cannoli? ›
Here are a few distinctions: The Venetian shell is in a cylinder shape while the Sicilian shell looks like a bow tie wrap. While the Sicilian dough is deep-fried, the Venetian dough is baked. The traditional Venetian filling is made of heavy cream cheese mixed with vanilla bean.
How world famous cannoli are made in Sicily? ›
What are the ingredients of Sicilian cannoli. The cannolo dough is made of flour, sugar, egg, lard, vinager, marsal wine. The dough is worked by hands, stretched and finally rolled around the mould. The fragrant paste is gently killed in lard (pig fat), deep fried in it with no mercy.
Is mascarpone or ricotta better for cannoli? ›
Cannoli is traditionally made with ricotta, but some people prefer mascarpone. It simply depends on your personal preference.
Do I have to add egg to ricotta filling? ›
Eggs help bind the ricotta cheese, but if you don't have eggs on hand then it's OK to omit them. Adding egg to ricotta cheese helps to bind the cheese for lasagna so that it doesn't ooze out of the casserole when you cut it. Basically, the egg helps all the cheesy goodness stay intact.
What is the difference between Italian and American cannoli? ›
Chief among them is the type of milk used for each. The Italian version makes use of sheep's milk, while Italian-American cannoli employs cow's milk (leading to significant distinctions in taste and consistency).
How unhealthy is a cannoli? ›
Made with sweetened ricotta cheese and deep-fried pastry shells, cannoli are typically high in calories. While these Italian desserts may be hard to resist, they're best left for rare occasions if you're trying to manage your weight.
What does cannoli mean in Italian? ›
In Italian, cannoli is plural; the singular is cannolo ( Italian: [kanˈnɔːlo]; Sicilian: cannolu [kanˈnɔːlʊ]), a diminutive meaning 'little tube', from canna, 'cane' or 'tube'.
How many cannolis per person? ›
We recommend two cannoli per person. Assortments can be customized with a one dozen minimum per flavor.
For the cannoli-in-hand crowd, Nick Vaccaro of Vaccaro's Desserts in Silver Spring suggests eating alternately from one end and then the other, in order to keep the center of the shell unbroken.
What does "Holy Cannoli" mean? ›
It has nothing to do with Italian. It just means "holy crap" or "wow, I cannot believe it!" It is used to express shock or surprise at something incredibly good or incredibly bad.
What part of Italy has the best cannoli? ›
The small town of piana degli Albanesi (30 min drive from Palermo) is renowned in Sicily as the throne of the best Cannoli in the island. The thin crunchy crust and the foamy ricotta cream made by any of the bars are unforgettable.
Do Sicilians eat cannoli for breakfast? ›
Sicilian sweets for breakfast
We are talking of cannoli filled with ricotta , of course, but also of cassata or Sicilian iris (all are strictly filled with ricotta cream, which is the original version, but you can range between pistachio and chocolate).
Why do Italians eat cannolis? ›
Over the years, cannoli came to be associated with Sicily's Carnival season (which immediately precedes Lent), possibly as a fertility symbol. Their popularity spread from Sicily to the rest of Italy, and then to the United States with the millions of Italian immigrants who came over in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
What is the creamiest ricotta cheese? ›
Galbani® Double Cream Ricotta has twice the cream of regular whole milk ricotta and all the delicious taste and texture you expect plus it is made with 4 simple ingredients. The perfect ricotta to eat on its own as a decadent snack, to make extra rich desserts, and to make your regular hot ricotta dishes even better.
What is the difference between traditional and extra smooth ricotta? ›
Traditional Ricotta has the classic slightly grainy texture that many enjoy for use in pasta and dips. Extra Smooth Ricotta has a more creamy texture making it perfect for more delicate pastries and desserts or simply spread on bread or a bagel with fruit, jam or honey.
Is Trader Joe's ricotta good? ›
It's definitely not what we expected, but it's quite good for what it is. And it's a little on the pricey side, but all gourmet cheeses tend to be that way. Four stars from Sonia.
What is the difference between ricotta and Italian ricotta? ›
In the United States, American ricotta is almost always made of cow's milk whey, as opposed to Italian ricotta which is typically made from the whey of sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk.
