Cannoli Shells And Ricotta Cream Filling Food

CANNOLI SHELLS AND RICOTTA CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Three or more days in advance of making the cannoli shells set the ricotta in a colander inside of a large bowl.
• Scrape the ricotta into the colander and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for two days, until it is dry.
• To make the dough for cannoli shells: In a small bowl put eggs.
• Beat eggs; add vanilla and ice water to eggs.
• In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon.
• Add the shortening and mix until crumbly.
• Make well in dry mixture and add wet mixture.
• Using your hands mix together, if it is dry, add more ice water.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 3 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a flattened ball.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
• Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine or the dough can be rolled on a board with a rolling pin.
• Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep the pieces from sticking.
• Continue to pass the dough through the machine until you reach the last or second to last setting.
• You might need to run the dough through the pasta machine three times.
• The dough needs to be thin-about the same thickness as construction paper; cut the dough into 4 1/2 inch circles. (Giovanna's cannoli tubes are 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.).
• Continue rolling out the remaining dough.
• If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.
• Put a rack in the bottom of a large heavy kettle that you plan on putting your peanut oil into so that your cannoli shells do not touch the bottom and burn. (Giovanna uses a restaurant kettle that is about 18 inches in diameter.).
• Pour about 2 inches of oil in a smaller kettle. Giovanna used 4 quarts but her kettle is huge!
• Heat oil until a deep frying thermometer shows 375 degrees.
• Oil the cannoli tubes by placing them in the hot oil then draining them in a metal bowl (you need the oil on the tube so that later the cannoli shell will slip off easily).
• Lay the dough circle flat, center the tube on it, bring left edge onto tube, dab it with egg white, bring up right side of dough circle, dab it with egg white, and roll the tube; do not press the dough. You do not want the dough to be too tight on the tube, or you will have difficulty later getting your cannoli off. Be careful not to stretch the dough or pull it tightly. Avoid, as best as possible, getting egg white on the tube, or the cannoli will stick to it.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan.
• Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
• With tongs, remove the cannoli tubes, holding them straight up so that the oil flows back into the pan.
• Then drain the cannoli still on tube briefly in a metal bowl.
• While the cannoli shells are still hot, carefully slide the shells off the tubes by grasping each tube with a clean towel and gently twisting the cannoli shell off the tube with your other hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. On another work surface area, lay oilcloth or newspaper, topped with a large rack.
• When the cannoli shells are barely warm set them on top of the rack.
• It is important that the shells stay on the racks overnight.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough; set aside.
• The cannoli shells can be made up to 2 months before serving if you drain them properly overnight, and store them in sealed containers in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator.
• To make the ricotta cream, put the thoroughly dry ricotta in a large mixing bowl with a wire whip and blend until creamy.
• Add the confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon oil; blend until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate pieces. Store the ricotta cream in the refrigerator for 48 hours. After 48 hours, serve and freeze the rest.
• Frozen ricotta cream can be defrosted in the refrigerator later.
• To assemble, use a knife to push the ricotta cream into the cannoli shell.
• Place the cannoli on a serving platter and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
• Use within an hour.

HOMEMADE CANNOLI

Steps:

• For the shell dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add the egg yolk and the white wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
• To roll and fry the shells: In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil, and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.
• To fill the cannolis: Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli molds. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home. Serve immediately.

CANNOLI

Steps:

• For the shells: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Add in the butter and egg yolk. Pulse until the mixture looks like grated cheese. Add in the marsala and pulse. Add a few drops of water and pulse. Continue to do this until the mixture comes together in a ball. You may not need to add all of the water.
• Dump the mixture out onto a clean work surface. Work the mixture gently into a ball and squish into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap until ready to use.
• Place the oil in a large, wide pot and bring to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Set a cooling rack over a sheet pan.
• To roll the dough out by hand, dust a work surface lightly with flour. Cut the dough in half; start with half the dough and keep the other half covered until ready to use. Roll each half out to 1/8-inch thick.
• If using a pasta roller, set the pasta roller on the widest setting (number 1). Use your hands to flatten the dough as much as you can to facilitate it going through the pasta roller. Run the dough through the roller twice, dusting it with flour in between rolls if it feels sticky, and then fold in half. (When rolling out pasta dough, always hold the pasta on the tops of your hands with your palms down. If you hold it fingers up you will create stretch marks). Move the roller to the next setting (number 2) and run the dough through. Continue to run the dough through the machine, reducing the opening (or moving the setting to the next largest number) in between every roll. Stop when you get to the correct thinness, this will be around number 5 on the dial, but every machine is different and you will have to be the judge of your own thickness.
• Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Keep the squares covered until they are ready to be fried. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.
• Beat the egg white with 2 tablespoons of water.
• Wrap the first batch of dough squares around metal cannoli tubes so that the points of the square overlap to close. Brush the overlapping points with the beaten egg white to seal shut and press to secure.
• Fry the dough shells in the heated oil until they are brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Use tongs to remove the shells from the oil and drain on the cooling rack. When the shells and tubes have cooled enough to handle, gently slide the metal tubes out of the shells. Repeat the process with the remaining dough squares.
• For the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the ricotta, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chocolate chips and taste to make sure it is delicious. Place in a pastry bag with a large enough tip to allow the chocolate chips to pass through.
• To assemble: Pipe the filling into the shells and sprinkle each end with a few more chocolate chips. Dust with powdered sugar. Do not fill them until you plan to serve them or the shells will get soggy.

CLASSIC CANNOLI

Steps:

• Make the filling: Line a sieve with a layer of cheesecloth, and set over a bowl. Spoon ricotta into sieve. Cover, and let drain in the refrigerator overnight.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat ricotta and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in chocolate chips, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Make the shells: Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add Marsala and oil, and beat on medium speed until dough comes together. Using your hands, knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Pass 1 piece of dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine (keep remaining pieces covered). Continue passing through narrower settings until it is the thickness of a dime. Lay on a floured work surface. Cut out rounds with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Gather scraps and reroll.
• Pour enough oil into a large, heavy saucepan to come about 4 inches up sides. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees.
• Wrap each round of dough around a 3 3/4-inch-long cannoli form, sealing with a dab of egg white. Working in batches of 3 or 4, fry until golden, about 1 minute. Using a wire skimmer or tongs, transfer to paper towels, and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully slide out forms, and let shells cool. Continue rolling, cutting, and frying the remaining dough.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip one end of each cannoli shell into chocolate and then into pistachios. Let set 15 minutes on parchment paper.
• Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (such as Ateco #826). Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

CANNOLI FILLING (#1 AND # 2)

Steps:

• Cannoli Filling # 1: (Will fill 8 large cannoli):.
• Cream drained ricotta until very smooth.
• Add chocolate chips, liqueur, orange peel and sugar; mix very well.
• Chill filling until needed.
• Using a very small spoon or pastry bag, fill cannoli shells.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Cannoli Filling # 2 (Will fill 10-12 cannoli):.
• In a bowl, sift together the sugar, cinnamon and cocoa (if using).
• Mix ricotta well (until creamy) with sifted dry ingredients.
• Add vanilla, fruit peels and grated chocolate (if not using the cocoa); mix until all is well blended.
• Chill mixture until cold before filling shells.
• When shells are filled, smooth the filling evenly with the end of the shell, and decorate each end with a cherry half.
• Lightly sprinkle the filled shells with Confectioner's sugar.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Note: Cannoli can also be filled with pasticciera cream (pastry cream) or tortoni ice cream.

CANNOLI SHELLS

Steps:

• Mix together flour, shortening, salt and sugar.
• Add enough wine to make a stiff but workable dough.
• Roll dough into a ball and let it stand for about 1 hour.
• Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut rolled dough into 5x5 inch squares.
• Place a cannoli tube across dough square on an angle (from top left corner to bottom right corner).
• Wrap one corner around the tube, then the other (which should overlap the first).
• Press together to seal seam.
• Fry in deep fat, one at a time, until deep golden brown.
• Carefully remove fried cannoli shell from tube.
• Cool completely before filling.
• ***Cannoli tubes are usually made from sheet aluminum and should be 8 inches long by 1 inch in diameter.

MRS. CECCHINI'S CANNOLI SHELLS WITH RICOTTA FILLING

Steps:

• FILLING:.
• Drain ricotta overnite by placing a paper towel in a strainer over a bowl and put ricotta in paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and leave in frig,.
• removing as much water as possible.
• Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and mix well.
• Variation is to use 1 1/2 cups ricotta and folding in 1 1/2 cups of homemade whipped cream.
• Add candied fruit (if desired) and mini chips.
• After filling cooled shells, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
• SHELLS:.
• Crack egg in a cup, saving a bit of white to seal shell.
• Make a well in flour and place egg and butter. Mix together with pastry cutter adding wine 1 tbl. at a time until dough forms.
• Make a ball, cover and let sit 15 minutes.
• Roll out 1/16" thick and cut into 3 inch circles for minis with a cookie cutter or glass.
• Wrap around form and seal with egg white mixed with a little water. Flare ends slightly.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry 2 or 3 at a time until lightly browned.
• Remove with tongs and drain on paper towel. Allow to cool a bit before removing form. I hold with tongs gently, and tap against the counter gently to loosen shell.
• Shells can be made ahead and kept for several weeks in tightly closed containers with paper towels in between.