Sicilian Cannoli

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon Italian 00 flour or all-purpose flour (250g)

4 tablespoon cold butter (55g)

1 large egg beaten (plus 1 egg white for sealing the cannoli)

¼ cup sugar (50g) granulated or caster sugar

¼ cup marsala (60ml)

Pinch of cinnamon

½ teaspoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Sunflower oil for frying

Filling

4 cups ricotta drained (1 kg)

1 cup powdered sugar

zest of 1 lemon or orange (optional)

Candied orange nuts or chocolate chips

Instructions

Before starting, place the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl and store it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible. It’s important to drain the ricotta or it’ll be too soft for filling the cannoli.

Making the cannoli dough

Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder to a large bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Cut the cold butter into cubes then work it into the flour mixture with your finger until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the middle of flour and add the beaten egg, vinegar and marsala. Mix everything together with a fork until a rough dough forms.

Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for 7-10 minutes. This is the secret to getting all those bubbles in your cannoli shells.

Once kneaded, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Alternatively you can leave the dough overnight.

Rolling out the dough

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Set up your pasta machine then heat a large pot of oil (2-3 inches deep) to 356F (180C) using a candy thermometer.

Lightly dust your work surface and pasta machine with flour. Cut the dough in half then flatten one half of the dough so it can fit through the widest setting of your pasta machine (usually number 0).

Pass the dough through the widest setting then fold one end of the dough over the other (see photos 7 & 8). Pass the dough through the widest setting again and repeat 3-4 times.

Now your dough is ready for rolling, pass the dough through the second widest setting (usually number 1) and continue until the dough is half of ⅛ inch thick (2mm). If using a Marcato Atlas pasta machine this is number 6.

Rolling pin method (optional)

If you don’t have a pasta machine you can simply roll the dough out with a rolling pin on a light floured surface until very thin (2mm or half of ⅛ inch if possible).

Shaping

Cut out rounds using a 4-5 inch round cutter (you can make them smaller or bigger if you like). Working in batches, wrap the cut out dough around a cannoli tube using a tiny dot of egg white to seal.

Carefully, fry the cannoli in the hot oil until golden brown and puffed up. Drain on kitchen paper. If you don’t have many cannoli tubes, be careful they aren’t too hot before re-using.

Make the filling

Put the drained ricotta and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and mix together until combined. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe it into the cannoli shells. Add a slice of candied orange to each end, serve.

Filling options

You can fold chocolate chips into the ricotta if you like or sprinkle nuts on the ends instead of candied orange.

Notes

Measuring your flour – if you are using cups instead of a kitchen scale make sure to spoon the flour into the cups and level it off with a knife for best results.

Resting the dough – make sure you let the dough rest in the fridge to let the gluten relax before rolling out (30 mins to 1 hour).

Rolling out the dough – it’s important that you roll the dough out very thin or the shells will be too thick and soft instead of crispy.

Size and shape of the cannoli – I find that a 4-5 inch round cutter works best but if you don’t have one you can cut the dough into squares instead.

Sealing the edges – use a small amount of egg white to seal the edges of the dough but be careful not to get it on the cannoli tubes or the dough will stick to them.

Fry in batches – don’t add too many cannoli to the oil at once of the oil will cool down. You also don’t want to overcrowd the pan.

Prepare in advance – You can prepare everything in advance (store the filling in the fridge for up to 3 days) but do not fill the cannoli more than 30 mins to 1 hour before serving or the shells will soften too much.

Leftovers – leftover cannoli shells will keep well in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.

Nutrition Information: