Simple Cannolis with Mascarpone Filling
Bring a little taste of Italy to your kitchen with these simple homemade cannolis! Crispy, golden cannoli shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and mascarpone filling, sweetened with powdered sugar, and mixed with mini chocolate chips. Finish them with powdered sugar, chocolate, pistachios, or your favorite sprinkles for a delicious Italian dessert that’s as fun to decorate as it is to eat.
Prep Time
15 Mins
Cook Time
30 Mins
Serves
24
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup marscapone cheese
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Shells:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup marsala wine (plus more if needed)
- 1 egg yoke (white reserved for later)
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
Frying:
- 1 quart avocado oil
- Egg white (for sealing the dough)
Garnish:
- Powdered sugar, chocolate shavings, chopped pistachios, sprinkles, etc.
Preparation
Special tools:
- Cannoli molds
- Hot oil thermometer
- Piping bag and tip
Filling:
- Place cheeses, and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and mix until well combine and creamy. Keep in mind that ricotta has a slight grainy texture this is normal.
- Add in the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Add in mini chocolate chips and fold into filling mixture.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
Shell:
- In large bowl add the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the egg yoke, wine and oil. Mix until dough forms and is smooth. If too crumbly add another tablespoon of wine and mix.
- Turn dough ball out onto counter and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.
- Heat oil for frying to 350 degrees Fº. Make sure to use a heavy bottomed pan like a dutch oven pan.
- When ready, flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll 1/4 of the dough out as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch thin. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Using a 4 inch cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut out dough circles.
- Wrap each dough round onto a cannoli mold. Seal the edges together with egg white. Place into hot oil using tongs (do not just drop the molds into the oil) and make sure each is coated with oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.
- Remove cannolis from oil and remove the mold once cool enough to handle.
- Repeat with any remaining dough.
- Let all shells cool completely.
Assembly:
- If dipping ends in chocolate, melt your chocolate and dip each end into the chocolate. Sprinkle with nuts or sprinkles. Let cool completely. To speed up cooling you can refrigerate the dipped shells for 10 minutes.
- Fit piping bag with a 1M piping tip. Fill piping bag with filling.
- Fill cannoli by squeezing filling into one end and then the other end. Sprinkle with topping of choice, we used crushed pistachios, chocolate shavings and sprinkles.
- Finish the cannolis with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or chocolate drizzle.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Left overs can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cannolis will last up to 3 days but keep in mind that the longer they sit the shell will begin to soften.
Notes:
This recipe works best in the following order:
- Make the filling and chill for 1 hour or more.
- Make the dough for the shells. Let dough rest a 1/2 hour.
- Heat the oil and fry shells. Let rest until completely cool.
- If dipping the shells in chocolate, do so now and let cool in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Fill each cannoli with filling.
- Garnish with toppings of choice.