One cannolo, Two cannoli. Why do we always refer to these treats as cannoli, and never a cannolo? Because it is impossible to eat only one of them. I just love these "little tubes" (See how you're learning some Italian with me?). When I lived in Italy, I tried cannoli at basically every pastry shop I came across. These homemade Cannoli with Ricotta-Mascarpone Cream are still my favorite.
First thing first, if you want to make Cannoli with Ricotta-Mascarpone Cream at home you will need some cannoli forms like the ones pictured below. They're available on Amazon for a reasonable price, and if you're anything like me, you'll put them to good use.
Once you've got your cannoli forms, you're ready to start your cannoli shells. This may sound strange, but I can't tell you how amazing the dough smells. The entire time I was kneading the dough, I was thinking how much I would like my kitchen to always smell like that. The combination of the cocoa, cinnamon, and Marsala is unspeakably delicious. (You may not really want to buy a bottle of Marsala wine just for this recipe, but go for it. I've got a great recipe for Chicken Marsala coming later this week to help you use it up.) You may feel like the 15 minutes of kneading seems unnecessary, but at the end of the 15 minutes, you'll understand why. The dough gets incredibly silky smooth and elastic. (Consider yourself warned though, it starts out VERY sticky.)
A tip for achieving the characteristic bubbles in the shells: Don't roll the dough too thin. If it's too thin, the dough will not be able to bubble up during frying. Don't roll too thick though either of your shells will be too tough. I recommend doing one practice shell first to be sure you're happy with the thickness and the outcome.
Last, but not least, the filling. This recipe for the filling is delicious without being overly sweet or so rich that you can't possibly have another. Some filling recipes are made with ricotta, others are sometimes made with mascarpone, and some are simply filled with a custard (less common). I found my favorite version to include equal parts of ricotta and mascarpone. Using both ricotta and mascarpone make the filling lighter and less dense than the super-rich mascarpone versions, but is still wonderfully creamy and decadent.
First thing my dad said when he heard I was making cannoli: "Leave the gun, take the cannoli." -The Godfather. Couldn't have said it better myself.
Cannoli with Ricotta-Mascarpone Cream
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 Cannoli 1x
Ingredients
For the Cannoli Shells:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Marsala wine
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg white, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying the shells
For the Ricotta-Mascarpone Cream
- ¾ cup whole milk ricotta, drained and squeezed dry
- ¾ cup mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for decoration
Instructions
To make the Cannoli Shells:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the Marsala and the oil and beat on medium speed just until dough comes together. By hand, knead dough on a lightly floured surface until very smooth, about 15 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes. (NOTE: The dough starts out incredibly sticky. Please be patient and continue kneading for the full 15 minutes, adding a bit more flour as needed but resist adding too much. Near the end of the 15 minute kneading time all of a sudden the dough comes together and is silky smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.)
- Divide dough in half, leaving one half wrapped in the plastic. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it is very thin, about the thickness of a penny. Using a round cutter, or the rim of a container about 3 ½ inches in diameter (I used the rim of a plastic container), cut out circles. Repeat with remaining half of the dough.
- Pour a few inches of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot. Heat over medium heat until a thermometer registers 375 degrees, regulating heat to maintain temperature around 375-380 degrees F.
- Wrap each circle of dough around a cannoli form, and seal with the egg white (just a little dab will work like glue). Leave the dough on the form. You'll remove the shell from the form after frying.
- In batches of 2 at a time, fry each cannoli shell until golden, about 1 minute. Carefully remove the shells from the oil using a skewer inserted through the metal tube, or using tongs.
- Allow to drain and cool on paper towel for a few minutes before sliding the metal cannoli mold out from the shell. Repeat with remaining dough.
To Make the Ricotta Mascarpone Cream:
- Beat ricotta, mascarpone, confectioners sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together until smooth. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Using a piping bag with an opening cut about the same diameter as your cannoli shells, fill the cannoli. Roll each end of the filled cannoli into the remaining mini chocolate chips.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Note: Do not fill the cannoli shells ahead of time. The shells will get soft and chewy. You can make the shells and the cream ahead, and then fill them shortly before serving.
This recipe first appeared on Kitchen Joy.
Frances
These look amazing! Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my recent post!
Bridget s
For shells...my husband picked up a piece of stainless steel pipe and cut it to length.money saver. My trick for the shells is to use wonton wrappers. I like to make them small so this is a great trick and good...
Amy
I use a pizzelle press and mold them when soft around a cylinder, maks them so pretty!
Mandy
I bet they're gorgeous! I need to get myself a pizzelle press one of these days.
Candice
Great recipe! However, I think the amount of flour is off. I needed to add a total of 2 cups of flour to get the right consistency. It should be a drier dough.
Mandy
Hi Candice,
Glad you like the recipe. The amount of flour listed is correct. I have made this recipe dozens and dozens of times and they always turn out perfectly. True, the dough is quite soft. It starts out very sticky, but after the 15 minutes of kneading it is extremely smooth, but not at all sticky. I like my cannoli shells to be quite delicate. Feel free to add as much flour as you like, but my preference is as listed. The flour I use is King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour, and it has a higher protein content than some of the other brands available, so that may account for some of the difference as well. Overall, I find that keeping to the 15 minute kneading time with adding minimal extra flour for dusting is my preference for texture, flavor, and consistency.
Thanks so much for reading!
Beth
I'm very excited to try this recipe however, I am thus far agreeing with Candice. It wasn't that the dough was a little sticky, it was almost batter-like! I couldn't knead it at all without adding another 1/2 cup of flour. Maybe it is because I'm not using the same brand, but I wouldn't expect it to make that big a difference. I've used King Arthur on and off and never noticed a difference in any other recipe. Could it be one of the liquid measures are off? I read and reread the ingredients looking to see where I made a mistake before just adding more flour. Hopefully they'll turn out properly.
Mandy
The dough starts out very sticky. Throughout the kneading process it will all of a sudden stop sticking to your fingers and come together in an incredibly smooth, delicate dough. Avoid adding too much extra flour if possible. The resulting cannoli shells are worth it in my opinion. If you want, you could use just 1/3 cup Marsala, but the recipes has been tested successfully many many times as written. The key is in the kneading for 15 minutes. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Midge DiNardo
I have Celiac disease, my sister gave me GLUTEN FREE shells, I did make the filling! It was wonderful! I haven't had cannolis in 15 years! Loved every bite. Thank you.
Jackie
So good
★★★★★