Cannoli Filling

This is the real deal. Italian cannoli filling made with two pounds of ricotta processed smooth with powdered sugar and vanilla, then pulsed with candied citron, orange peel, and sweet chocolate chunks. No whipped cream filler, no cream cheese shortcuts.

The food processor does the work in two stages. First, blend the ricotta, sugar, and vanilla until completely smooth with no graininess. Then add the citron, candied peel, and broken chocolate and pulse just a few times so they chop into small pieces without turning into a paste.

Fill the shells right before serving. Cannoli shells go from crispy to soggy within hours once the wet filling goes inside.

Chef Tips

• Use whole milk ricotta for the creamiest filling. Part-skim works but tastes leaner and less luxurious
• Drain the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined strainer overnight if it seems watery. Excess liquid makes the filling runny and soaks through the shells even faster
• Process until truly smooth in the first stage. Grainy ricotta filling is the most common cannoli mistake
• Garnish the exposed filling at each end with chopped almonds or pistachios for the classic bakery look

Variations

• Fluffy version: Fold in one cup of heavy cream, whipped stiff, for a lighter, mousse-like filling
• Pistachio cannoli: Tint the filling pale green with a drop of food coloring and press chopped pistachios into the ends
• Chocolate cannoli: Add cocoa powder to the ricotta blend and dip the shell ends in melted chocolate