Sicilian Cannoli

A crispy, blistered shell that cracks with every bite, filled with smooth ricotta cream. The contrast between the fried pastry and the fresh cheese is punctuated by notes of chocolate and candied orange.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 543
• Protein: 14 g
• Carbs: 67 g
• Fat: 23 g

Ingredients

• 166.7 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 20 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 86.7 g White sugar ( divided )
• 0.7 piece Egg ( whole )
• 33.3 ml Marsala
• 33.3 g Dark chocolate ( chopped )
• 26.7 g Candied orange peel ( finely diced )
• 13.3 g Roasted salted pistachio ( crushed )
• 333.3 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 333.3 g Ricotta Cheese ( drained )

Instructions

1. Dough preparation

   On the work surface, rub the flour and butter together. Add the sugar, egg, and Marsala. Knead firmly until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should no longer stick to your hands.

2. Chilling time

   Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Let it rest in the refrigerator to relax the gluten, which will make rolling easier without the dough shrinking back.

3. Rolling and cutting

   Roll out the dough as thinly as possible, about 1 to 2 mm. Cut out circles using a pastry cutter. Lightly stretch the circles into ovals.

4. Shaping and frying

   Wrap each oval around a stainless steel tube. Seal the edge with a bit of egg white. Submerge in peanut oil at 180°C. The shell should brown quickly and develop characteristic small blisters.

5. Filling preparation

   Mix the drained ricotta with the sugar until smooth. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and diced candied orange peels.

6. Final filling

   Fill the cooled shells using a piping bag. Let the cream overflow slightly at the ends. Decorate with crushed pistachios. Serve immediately to prevent the shell from softening.

Chef's tips

• The oil must be exactly 180°C: too cold and the dough absorbs grease; too hot and it burns without blistering.
• It is imperative to fill the cannoli at the last minute, otherwise the moisture from the cream will soften the shell in less than 15 minutes.

Storage

The shells can be kept for 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. The filling keeps for 48h in the fridge.