Italy with Amore

Sicilian Cannoli

Ingredients:

For the Cannoli Shells (Around 28 Shells):

  • 250g plain flour
  • 30g lard
  • 30g sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 egg yolk, for brushing
  • 50g Marsala wine
  • 10g white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 orange peel, grated
  • 1l vegetable oil, for frying

For the Filling:

  • 1kg sheep’s ricotta, drained
  • 320g icing sugar
  • Chocolate chips or candied orange peel, to taste (optional)

For Garnish:

  • Icing sugar, for dusting
  • Chopped pistachios, chocolate shavings, or candied orange (optional)

Instructions:

For the Cannoli Shells:

In a large mixing bowl, add together the flour, cinnamon, and lard. And start kneading them together with your hands.

Separately dissolve the salt in to the vinegar in small bowl.

Then add the sugar, grated orange peel, egg, the Marsala wine, and the vinegar to the flour mixture. Continue kneading until a dough begins to form.

Then move the dough on a floured surface and continue kneading until smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 2 hours.

Once rested, take around 1/4 of the dough out at a time, leaving the remaining wrapped in the fridge. On a floured surface the dough to about 1.5mm in thickness.

Cut out circles using a 10cm round cutter. Then wrap each dough circle around a cannoli tube, sealing the edges with a bit of the egg yolk.

Ensure the edges overlap to prevent them from unravelling during frying. Cover the cannoli with a plastic wrap while you’re making them to prevent them from drying.

In a large, deep pan, heat the vegetable oil to around 175-180°C. Place the cannoli shells into the oil vertically. Fry the cannoli shells until golden brown, turning them occasionally.

Remove the shells from the oil gently and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cooled, carefully slide the shells off the tubes.

For the Ricotta Filling:

Have the ricotta drain overnight.

In a bowl, combine the drained ricotta and mix the icing sugar into it until smooth and creamy.

Fold in the chocolate chips or candied orange peel if desired.

Fill a pastry bag with the ricotta filling and pipe it into both ends of each cannoli shell.

Assembling the Cannoli:

Dust the filled cannoli with icing sugar.

Optionally, garnish the ends with chopped pistachios, chocolate shavings, or the candies orange if desired.

Serve and enjoy your homemade Sicilian Cannoli!