Cannoli (Cream Rolls)
Submitted by TairNean
Homemade Italian cream rolls with cinnamon-spiced fried shells, sweet ricotta filling with candied citron and chocolate, finished with blanched pistachios and powdered sugar. Makes 16 to 18 cannoli.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
If you’ve ever stood in front of an Italian bakery case wondering how they make those crispy, cream-stuffed tubes, here’s your answer.
The shell dough gets its distinctive snap from a mix of shortening, vinegar, and cold water, kneaded until smooth and elastic, then rolled paper-thin and fried in a blend of vegetable and olive oil.
Cinnamon in the dough gives each shell a warm, spiced aroma you can smell the second they hit the oil.
The filling is the classic trio: ricotta beaten smooth with sugar and vanilla, studded with candied citron and semi-sweet chocolate pieces, then chilled until thick and scoopable.
Finish with blanched pistachios pressed into the cream at each end and a generous shower of confectioners’ sugar.
Kitchen Tips
- Knead the dough 5 to 8 minutes until truly smooth and elastic. Shortcuts here mean tough, blistery shells.
- Fry only as many as will float in a single uncrowded layer. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and makes greasy shells.
- The vinegar in the dough isn’t random. It tenderizes the gluten, giving you a shell that shatters instead of bends.
- Always fill right before serving. This is the golden rule of cannoli.
Ingredients
Directions
FOR FILLING: Combine and beat until smooth about 10 min.
With an electric mixer at medium-high speed. Stir in, mixing thoroughly, citron and chocolate pieces. Place mixture in refrigerator to chill.
FOR SHELLS: Sift together first 4 ingredients into a bowl.
Cut shortening in with a pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas.
Stir in eggs. Blend in, a tablespoon at a time, the vinegar and cold water.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Use a small amount of additional flour if necessary to get a smooth dough.
Wrap in waxed paper and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Set out six aluminum cannoli tubes (6 inches long, about ¾ inch diameter).
Set out deep saucepan or automatic deep-fryer.
Add vegetable oil, or half vegetable oil and half olive oil and heat to 360 F.
Cut an oval shaped pattern from cardboard (about 6 x 4½ inches).
Blanche in boiling water, then cool and finely chop pistachios.
Roll chilled dough an lightly floured surface to ⅛ inch thickness.
Cut with a pastry cutter and the oval pattern.
Wrap dough loosely around tubes slightly overlapping opposite edges.
Seal edges by brushing with egg white. Press edges together to seal.
Fry only as many shells as will float uncrowded one layer deep in the hot oil.
Fry about 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally in the oil.
Drain over the pan before removing to paper toweling.
Cool slightly and remove tubes, then cool completely.
Continue forming and frying cannoli shells.
When ready to serve, fill with the chilled ricotta filling.
Sprinkle ends with the chopped nuts and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Yield: About 16 to 18 cannoli
Comments
