Cannoli

cannoli · from Sicily · Dolci

Ingredients (serves 4)

• For the shells: 200 g wheat flour
• 20 g sugar
• 30 g butter or lard
• 1 egg
• 50 ml Marsala or dry white wine
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 egg white for sealing
• Vegetable oil for frying. For the filling: 500 g sheep’s milk ricotta or well-drained cow’s milk ricotta
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 50 g finely chopped candied citrus peel or chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• optional: a pinch of cinnamon.

Instructions

1. For the dough, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl.
2. Add the cold butter in small pieces and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Add the egg, Marsala and vinegar and knead into a smooth, supple dough.
4. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
5. Roll out the dough thinly, about 1 to 2 mm thick, and cut out circles about 8 to 10 cm in diameter.
6. Wrap the dough circles around metal cannoli tubes or homemade foil cylinders, brush the overlapping ends with a little egg white and press them down firmly.
7. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 170 to 180 degrees.
8. Fry the cannoli, tubes and all, for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
9. Lift out with tongs and leave to drain and cool on kitchen paper.
10. Carefully pull out the metal tubes once the cannoli are lukewarm.
11. For the filling, press the ricotta through a fine sieve or beat it until creamy.
12. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
13. Fold in the candied fruits or chocolate chips.
14. Chill the cream for at least 2 hours.
15. Just before serving, fill the cream into a piping bag and pipe it into the cannoli shells from both ends.
16. The ends can be dipped in chopped pistachios or chocolate chips.
17. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately, as the shells will otherwise go soggy.