Chocolate Anise Cannoli Food

GAIL'S CANNOLIS

Steps:

• 1. Put the ricotta cheese in cheese cloth placed in sieve in a bowl and covered overnight.
• 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine all filling ingredients except the chocolate chips. Mix well until creamy.
• 3. Place the filling in a 1-gallon plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cannoli shells. The filling will firm up in refrigerator.
• 4. Right before you are ready to serve the cannoli, cut a small hole in the corner of the cannoli filling bag.
• 5. Squeeze the bag to fill the shells from both sides. Put the mini chocolate chips on the ends of the cannoli. Serve immediately.
• 6. Leftover filling may be frozen for later use. You can also cut this recipe in half.

CHOCOLATE CANNOLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the unsalted pistachios in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Pull from oven, cool and finely chop. Place chopped pistachios in a bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar until it holds a soft peak. In a large bowl fold together the whipped cream, raisins, 1/3 of the chopped chocolate, 1/3 of the chopped pistachios and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the ricotta. When ready to serve, spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a fat round tip. Fill the cannoli shells from each end.
• Blend the remaining chopped chocolate and pistachios on a plate.
• To garnish: Dip each end of the cannoli into the chocolate pistachio mixture.
• Cannoli can be filled and stored in the refrigerator no more than 1 hour ahead of time.

CHOCOLATE ANISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Add the ground anise seed and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
• Place the log on the cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CANNOLI

Steps:

• For filling, Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in a medium bowl; Stir or beat until smooth, fold in chocolate pieces; Cover and chill.
• Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip; Pipe filling into cones.
• Sift powdered sugar over cones; Chill UP TO 1 Hour.
• Don't let set longer, they will get soggy.