Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives<\/a>. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia\u2019s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient\/direction guides. She added her own modifications\/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.<\/p>\n![\"cannoli10\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/cannoli10.jpg?resize=350%2C338\" "\\"cannoli10\\"")
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I made the dough the night before I made the cannoli. \u00a0I did not want to buy Marsala wine, so I used an open bottle of red wine that I had. \u00a0This gave the dough a purple-ish hue that I found a bit strange. \u00a0The dough was dense and had a weird texture after kneading, but I wrapped it in plastic anyway and let it sit in the fridge overnight.<\/p>\n
The next day I rolled it out and fried the shells. \u00a0You have really got to be tough and put some serious forearm strength into the dough to get it to the perfect thinness needed to make the perfect cannoli. \u00a0Once you think you’ve got it, your perfect little circles have shrunk to half the original size. \u00a0This worried me at first, but it was actually easier to cut the circles a little smaller and thicker than you want them to be, and then let the circles rest. \u00a0After about 10 minutes, roll each circle out making it bigger in diameter and thin enough to fry up nicely. \u00a0This worked well for me, but I am sure that everyone has their own way of doing this.<\/p>\n
I do not have a deep fryer, so I used a deep skillet and filled it with vegetable oil. \u00a0I heated it to 375\u00b0\u00a0and had to play with the heat level quite a bit to keep it there. \u00a0My oil fluctuated between 355\u00b0\u00a0and 380\u00b0\u00a0throughout the process. \u00a0I fried my cannoli one at a time because I did not feel like monitoring more than one at a time. \u00a0Too much pressure. \u00a0I wanted them to be as good as they could be, and in order to acheive this I gave each cannoli its deserved individualized attention. \u00a0Despite my efforts, a few of my cannoli came off of their forms and became a sort of sopapilla type thing. \u00a0These still turned out to be quite delicious, just not as pretty.<\/p>\n
![\"food9\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/food9.jpg?resize=553%2C415\" "\\"food9\\"")
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I made two fillings for the cannoli.<\/p>\n
One was a semi-traditional filling with ricotta cheese with the ends dipped in mini chocolate chips. \u00a0I found a few recipes that incorporated cream cheese in the filling and thought this would be a good way to tone down the ricotta texture and still maintain the flavor. \u00a0This one was the best. \u00a0I wish I had used this filling in all of the shells.<\/p>\n
The second filling was a chocolate pastry cream. \u00a0I dipped the ends in toffee pieces. \u00a0I imagined this combination being incredibly delicious. \u00a0My instincts were not exactly right on this one. \u00a0The pastry cream wasn’t quite thick enough and did not pipe as beautifully and smooth as the ricotta filling. \u00a0Well, mistakes can make us better I suppose.<\/p>\n
I was so pleased with these. \u00a0Adorable crispy shells filled with luscious creamy filling. \u00a0The contrasting textures are wonderful. \u00a0I love the way the shells audibly crunch when you take the first bite and the crumbling pastry demands that you eat with your mouth over your plate so the remnants don’t make their way to your shirt or the floor. \u00a0Messy food is terrific.<\/p>\n
![\"food10\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.hottie-biscotti.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/food10.jpg?resize=553%2C415\" "\\"food10\\"")
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The dough can be made a day before. \u00a0The fillings can be made the day before. \u00a0The shells can even be made a day before, but DO NOT fill these until you are ready to serve them. \u00a0Just one night in the fridge rendered my left over cannoli soggy and just not too tasty.<\/p>\n
This was a fun challenge and I am glad that I didn’t let fear of deep frying keep me from making this delectable treat. \u00a0If you’re looking for something quick and easy, look elsewhere. \u00a0If you want something special to serve at a dinner party or dessert buffet to awe your guests, then this is perfect.<\/p>\n
CANNOLI SHELLS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- 2 cups (250 grams\/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour<\/li>\n
- 2 tablespoons(28 grams\/1 ounce) sugar<\/li>\n
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams\/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder<\/li>\n
- 1\/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams\/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon<\/li>\n
- 1\/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams\/0.11 ounces) salt<\/li>\n
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams\/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil<\/li>\n
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams\/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar<\/li>\n
- Approximately 1\/2 cup (approx. 59 grams\/approx. 4 fluid ounces\/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand<\/li>\n
- 1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)<\/li>\n
- Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying \u2013 about 2 quarts (8 cups\/approx. 2 litres)<\/li>\n
- 1\/2 cup (approx. 62 grams\/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips\/grated chocolate and\/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish<\/li>\n
- Confectioners’ sugar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.<\/li>\n
- Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1\/16 to 1\/8\u201d thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch \u2013 small\/medium; 4-inch \u2013 medium\/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it\u2019s shrunk a little.<\/li>\n
- Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube\/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube\/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.<\/li>\n
- In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Heat the oil to 375\u00b0F (190 \u00b0C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.<\/li>\n
- 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.<\/li>\n
- Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.<\/li>\n
- Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Fill the Cannoli<\/p>\n
\n- When ready to serve, fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1\/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1\/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it\u2019s messier and will take longer.<\/li>\n
- Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate\/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner\u2019s sugar and\/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Cannoli Filling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- 4 oz cream cheese<\/li>\n
- 1\/2 C powdered sugar, sifted<\/li>\n
- 7 1\/2 oz whole milk ricotta, drained<\/li>\n
- 1\/4 t vanilla<\/li>\n
- light pinch of cinnamon<\/li>\n
- mini chocolate chips for garnish<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Drain ricotta in a cheesecloth lined strainer for 2 \u2013 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.<\/li>\n
- Beat the cream cheese to soften. Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in drained ricotta until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Fold in vanilla, cinnamon. Chill.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n