| Level: | Advanced |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yield: | 12 to 16 cannoli |
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus for dusting
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup dry Marsala or white wine
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 1/2 cups ricotta
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup shaved bittersweet chocolate (about 1 1/2 ounces)
Instructions
- For the cannoli shells: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until thoroughly combined. Add the egg yolk and Marsala and process until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Fill a large, wide pot with 2 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out into a thin circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out as many circles as possible with a 3 1/2- to 4-inch round cookie cutter, then gather the scraps, reroll, and cut out more (discard any remaining scraps).
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Wrap a circle of dough around a cannoli tube. Lightly moisten an edge with water and press the edges together very firmly to seal (if not well-sealed, the cannoli shells will open while frying). Repeat with as many cannoli tubes as you have. Fry the tubes with the dough, turning once, until the shells are golden brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove the tubes from the oil and slip off the cannoli shells onto the paper towels. Let the tubes cool slightly, then repeat until all of the dough is fried, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the oil at 350 degrees F. Cool the shells completely.
- For the filling: Mix the ricotta, confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and vanilla together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the chocolate.
- Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip with the ricotta mixture. Hold a cannoli shell in one hand; with the other, insert the pastry tip into the center of the shell and pipe out the filling. Turn the shell around and fill the other side. Repeat with the remaining shells and filling. Arrange on a platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve filled shells immediately; alternatively, store unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days and fill when ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 14 servings |
| Calories | 325 |
| Total Fat | 21 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 40 mg |
| Sodium | 106 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 14 servings |
| Calories | 325 |
| Total Fat | 21 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Cholesterol | 40 mg |
| Sodium | 106 mg |
Reviews
Thank you Valerie, the recipe was perfect in every way. I was raised by Sicilians and grew up eating cannoli . These are the real deal.
For the person who was unhappy with the filling: I have noticed ricotta becomes thin if you mix it too much, especially after sugar is added. I stirred the filling ingredients by hand as the recipe said. Also some brands are just not very good. I used Galbani full-fat ricotta and the filling seduced me.It might never have made it into the cannoli shells, except I needed the batch for a party!
Next time I will make 2 batches of the dough so I can freeze the extra shells.
For the person who was unhappy with the filling: I have noticed ricotta becomes thin if you mix it too much, especially after sugar is added. I stirred the filling ingredients by hand as the recipe said. Also some brands are just not very good. I used Galbani full-fat ricotta and the filling seduced me.It might never have made it into the cannoli shells, except I needed the batch for a party!
Next time I will make 2 batches of the dough so I can freeze the extra shells.
Great!!
Love it the felling was amazing but to running but I put more power sugar and i got it and me semi homemade the cannoli got them in Poblex for only $1.99 not bad thanks you but a ? Can you do other fillings
This was ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!! The filling was like water (and I drained the ricotta). I tried putting it in the freezer, but as it defrosted, it turned to complete liquid again. I’m sorry Valerie, but this was really bad.
Ciao Valerie, This recipe looks like a winner since real homemade Sicilian Canoli are so difficult to find in smaller cities. Just a correction from one proud Italian to another, the term Canoli is the plural so if you are describing a single one, you would refer to it as a Canolo!
HI Valerie,
I just love your show and your recipes! I would love to make your cannoli recipe. What could I use instead of the Marsala or white wine.
Thank you.
Teresa
I only used the filling portion of this recipe and it was so easy and so tasty. It’s not overly sweet and has a hint of orange that pairs well with the chocolate. I did add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to my filling as well.
Looks sooo good. But, I want to make one with blueberry, lemon and basil in the filling. I just don’t know how much of what to put into the filling mixture. Any ideas?