Cannoli Shells Like A Pro Food

CANNOLI SHELLS LIKE A PRO

Steps:

• Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut shortening in with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in eggs. Blend in the vinegar and cold water. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Add additional flour, if needed, to get a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. Set out 6 aluminum cannoli tubes. Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 360 degrees F.
• Cut an oval shaped pattern from cardboard about 6x4-inches. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Place the cardboard pattern on dough and cut out as many as will fit on the dough. Wrap dough loosely around tubes slightly overlapping opposite ends. Seal ends by brushing with egg white and pressing together.
• Fry only as many shells as will float uncrowded in the hot oil. Fry until light golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove cannoli shells to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly and remove the tubes. Cool shells completely. Continue forming and frying cannoli shells.
• Using a pastry bag or a small spoon, fill the shells with the filling from both ends. Do not fill the shells until up to an hour before serving, as the filling will make the shells soggy.
• Sprinkle ends with reserved chopped pistachio nuts and dust with confectioners sugar.

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.

JIM BAILEY

Steps:

• 1 Preheat oven to 350­ F. Spray 2 baking sheets liberally with nonstick cooking spray, or simply line with parchment paper; set aside 2 Add butter to a large microwavable bowl and heat, on high, for 10-­15 seconds, or until just melted but not scalding hot, making sure you cover the bowl 3 Let come to room temperature and beat in egg whites and vanilla 4 Beat the powdered sugar into butter mixture until completely smooth. Add the flour and continue beating until smooth 5 Drop about a 2 tablespoon amount of batter onto prepared cookie sheet 6 With the back of a spoon, spread batter to form a 6-­inch circle, making sure the batter is evenly spread 7 Do the same with another mound of batter, at least an inch from the first 8 Bake for 4­5 minutes in the upper half of the oven, or until slightly browned around the edges 9 Remove and loosen with a spatula. Let sit for about 30 seconds, or until starting to stiffen 10 Working quickly, roll the cannoli so the one side overlaps the opposite side 11 Set aside, resting seam­side down. The shells will hold their shape easily, and harden quickly 12 Repeat with remaining shells and continue cooking and rolling the rest of the batter

CANNOLI SHELLS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Using a fork, blend in the white wine. When dough forms a ball, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep heavy skillet to 365 degrees F (180 degrees F). On a lightly floured surface, roll 1/3 of the dough out into a big circle as thin as paper. Cut into 8 (5-inch) circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli form, and seal with egg yolk.
• Fry 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown. remove with tongs to drain on paper towels. Carefully remove shells from forms while they are still hot, or they may become stuck.

TRADITIONAL SICILIAN CANNOLI

Steps:

• SHELLS: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add butter and marsala.
• Knead dough on lightly floured surface until well mixed.
• Wrap dough in Saran wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Roll out dough very thin.
• Cut dough into rounds using a 4 inch cookie cutter.
• Roll each round again until very thin.
• Roll each round around a cannoli tube, tightly, and seal with egg white.
• Fry in hot oil, turning, until golden.
• Drain on paper towels and let cool.
• Gently twist cannoli tube to remove shell.
• Cool COMPLETELY.
• FILLING: Mix together (by hand with wooden spoon) ALL filling ingredients.
• Keep covered in the refrigerator until your shells are cooled and ready to fill.
• Fill pastry bag with filling.
• Use a plain or open star tip.
• Insert tip to center of shell and fill to one end and then repeat this step on the other end.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar.