Cannoli With Orange Ricotta Filling Food

ORANGE CHOCOLATE CANNOLI DIP

Steps:

• Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Pulse the ricotta, confectioners' sugar, orange zest, orange liqueur, if using, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. Add the chocolate and pulse until well combined. Transfer to a small serving bowl and sprinkle with a little more orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Dip can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.)
• Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F and line a tray with paper towels. Working in batches, fry the wonton wrappers, turning once, until crispy and golden brown on both sides, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per batch. Transfer to the lined tray.
• Dust the fried wonton wrappers with confectioners' sugar and serve with the chocolate orange dip.

CANNOLI WITH ORANGE-RICOTTA FILLING

Steps:

• 1. TO MAKE THE FILLING: Rub the ricotta through a coarse-meshed sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, liqueur, and orange zest. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 2. TO MAKE THE DOUGH: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to mix. Add the 1/4 cup shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-sized bits. In a glass measuring cup, mix the Marsala, vinegar, and egg. With the machine running, add the liquid through the feed tube and process until a ball forms on top of the blade. Process for 20 seconds to knead the dough. To make the dough by hand, stir the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the wine mixture to form a soft dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead just until the dough is smooth and supple, about 5 minutes. Wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 3. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. In a deep Dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 365°F. 4. Working with one half of the dough at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until Y16 inch thick. Using a saucer as a guide, cut out rounds that are slightly less wide than the length of the cannoli tubes (for example, just less than 4 inches wide for 4-inch-long tubes). Wrap a pastry round around each tube, overlapping the ends and securing the round closed with a dab of egg white. Do not get any egg white on the tube, or it will glue the pastry to the tube. 5. Deep-fry 2 tubes (it is hard to keep track of more than 2 at a time) until golden brown, about 1 minute. Using kitchen tongs, carefully transfer the tubes to the wire rack to drain. Let cool for about 2 minutes and, holding the tube with the kitchen tongs (the tube will be hot), slide the cannoli shell from the tube. Let the tubes cool (no need to wash them) while frying the other 2 tubes. Continue forming and frying the cannoli shells until all the dough is used. Let the fried shells cool completely. Do not reroll any scraps. If you wish, cut them into cookie-sized portions, deep-fry until golden, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve as cookies. 6. To keep the cannoli shells from softening, fill them no more than 1 hour before serving. Put the filling in a pastry bag fitted with a No.5 plain tip (a 1/2-inch-wide opening). Pipe the filling into the pastry shells, filling first one side of the shell, and then the other. To garnish, grate chocolate over the exposed filling and sift confectioners' sugar over the cannoli.

CANNOLI CAKE

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE: Begin early in day or day ahead to make Cannoli Cake.
• Preheat oven to 375°F In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually sprinkle in 1/2 cup sugar, beating until sugar completely dissolves and whites stand in stiff peaks.
• In large bowl, using same beaters and with mixer at low speed, beat egg yolks, flour, baking powder, salt, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 Tablespoons water until blended. With rubber spatula, gently fold beaten egg whites into egg-yolk mixture, one-third at a time.
• Spoon batter into UNGREASED 10 inch by 3 inch springform pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until cake is golden and top springs back when lightly touched.
• Invert cake in pan on wire rack; cool completely in pan.
• FOR BRUSHING CAKE LAYERS: From oranges, grate 2 teaspoons peel (use the rest of peel for the filling) and squeeze 1/3 cup juice (IF NOT USING LIQUEUR, INCREASE JUICE TO 1/2 CUP). Stir liqueur into 1/3 cup juice; set aside.
• FOR THE FILLING: In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat ricotta, cream cheese, rest of the grated orange peel, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup semisweet-chocolate mini pieces.
• With metal spatula, loosen cake from edge of pan; remove pan side. Loosen cake from pan bottom; remove pan bottom. With serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 2 layers. Brush orange-juice mixture evenly over cut side of both layers.
• Place bottom cake layer, cut-side up, on cake plate. Spoon ricotta-cheese filling on center of cake layer. Spread some filling out to edge, leaving a center rounded to achieve a dome effect.
• Cut a small wedge out of remaining cake layer; and gently rest cake layer over filling. (Cutting wedge will allow cake layer to bend, without cracking, to fit over dome shape.).
• PREPARE VANILLA-CREAM FROSTING: In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 3 Tablespoons margarine or butter, softened, 3 Tablespoons milk, 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, adding more milk if necessary until mixture has an easy spreading consistency. In large bowl, using same beaters and with mixer at medium speed, beat 2 cups heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form; fold confectioners'-sugar mixture into whipped cream. Spread over top and down side of cake.
• In a heavy small saucepan over low heat, heat remaining 1/3 cup mini pieces, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.
• Into waxed-paper cone, spoon melted chocolate. (Or, use small decorating bag with small writing tube.) With chocolate, make feather design.
• Refrigerate cake until filling is firm for easier cutting, about 3 hours.
• TO MAKE WAXED-PAPER CONE: Cut square of waxed paper; fold in half into triangle. Lay triangle on flat surface so wide side is at top. Fold left-hand corner down to center point. Take right-hand corner; wrap it completely around folded left-hand corner, forming cone. Both corners meet at center point of original triangle. Fold in these ends twice to hold together. Fill cone two thirds full; fold top over.
• MAKING FEATHER DESIGN: Piping circles on Cake: Using paper cone with tip cup to make 1/8 inch diameter hole, pipe melted chocolate on top of cake in concentric circles, starting in center and moving to edge of cake. Start with small circle in the middle of cake and go around each circle to the edge. This should be 6 circles.
• Drawing spokes towards center: Before chocolate hardens, quickly with tip of toothpick or small knife, draw lines in spoke fashion, about 1 1/2 inches apart around edge of cake; alternate direction of each spoke, first from edge to center of cake, then from center to edge.
• Completing feather design: Continue around top of cake, alternating direction of each spoke to make attractive feather design. 16 servings.
• The Good Housekeeping Book of Desserts.

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.

CANNOLI WITH AMARETTO FILLING

Steps:

• SHELLS: Combine flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in beaten egg.
• Gradually stir in wine, mixing well.
• Shape dough into a ball, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/16-inch thickness.
• Cut into 3 1/2-inch circles, and roll circles into 5-inch ovals.
• Place a cannoli form, lengthwise, down the center of each oval and roll dough around form.
• Moisten seam with water to seal.
• Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.
• Fry cannoli shells one minutes, or until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and cool about 5 seconds.
• Remove the form and cool cannoli shells completely.
• FILLING: Thoroughly drain ricotta in a strainer, discarding the liquid.
• Put ricotta in a processor and process until smooth.
• Combine ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar and Amaretto, if using, in a medium bowl and beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Fold in two grated squares of chocolate. Place in the refrigerator and chill 4 hours.
• Pipe, or spoon. filling into shells.
• Sprinkle shells with remaining powdered sugar and exposed filling with remaining chocolate.
• NOTES : A substitute for mascarpone cheese may be mad by combining 16 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup whipping cream.