Italian Cannolis Recipe

By merehk

These shells can actually keep for well over a month, even up to 2 months if they are stored in an airtight container, so you can spend the time, make them once, and then make the filling as needed.

Ingredients

• Cannoli Shells:
• 1.3 Tablespoon of shortening
• 2.2 cups of flour
• 3.2 Tablespoons of sugar
• 4.1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 5.1 egg, beaten
• 6.1 /4 cup of milk
• A Basic Cannoli Filling Recipe:
• 1.2 cups of whole ricotta cheese that has been drained through a strainer lined with cheesecloth for at least 24 hours. Keep the ricotta refrigerated throughout this process.
• 2.2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 3.1 cup of sifted powdered sugar
• 4.1 cup of roughly chopped chocolate chips
• 5.1 cup of maraschino cherries, roughly chopped and dried with a paper towel
• 6.1 Tablespoon of lemon or orange zest (I prefer the orange

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the shortening (I use Crisco, but you may use cold butter) into the flour. Fold in the sugar. Combine the vanilla and the cinnamon into the milk. Add the milk a few drops at a time. Add the egg and mix until the pastry holds together. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Divide the pastry dough into quarters. On a flour covered board, roll out the pastry dough so that it is thin, but not too thin to handle easily. Cut each quarter into 4 - 5 oval shapes. I start with cutting circles and then gently rolling each into a oval shape. Wrap each oval around your forms. Keep your dough cold between batches of ovals I only have 4 forms, so it takes a little longer. Seal the edges with an egg wash. Deep fry the first batch of cannolis in heated Crisco. 350 degrees is probably right around the correct temperature. When the cannoli shells are browned on all sides, remove them to drain on paper towels. When they have cooled enough to handle, gently slide them off the forms and repeat the process
Mix together the ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla and the zest. Gently fold in the chocolate and cherries. Fill the cannoli shells with the filling as you are planning to use them. If they are filled too far in advance, the shells will get soggy. Dust the tops with powdered sugar. This filling is quite plain. Cannoli filling usually has dried, candied fruit in it; much like the fruit found in a fruit cake. I don't like that in my cannolis. Enjoy!