Fast Ed's cannoli recipe makes creating this delectable dessert a breeze, even for beginners. From making the perfect dough to achieving the ideal custard consistency, you'll be enjoying this timeless Italian delight in no time.
A bit about cannoli
The term "cannoli" comes from the Italian word "canna," which means "reed" or "tube." The dessert is named after its tubular shape, as the pastry dough is often rolled and shaped into tubes before frying.
In Italian, "cannoli" is pronounced as "kah-NOH-lee." The emphasis is on the second syllable, and the "o" is pronounced as a short "o" sound.
What is cannoli made out of
The filling in a cannoli is typically made of a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese, sugar, and various flavourings. It can include ingredients like vanilla, chocolate chips, candied fruit, citrus zest, and even cocoa powder.
The shell of a cannoli is traditionally made from a special dough that's rolled thin and deep-fried until crisp and golden.
Essential kitchen items to make this recipe
- This recipe calls for metal cannoli tubes, to shape the cannoli shells. Ensure they are clean and dry before wrapping the dough around them.
- You'll also need a piping bag with a large plain nozzle to fill the cannoli shells with the ricotta mixture. Make sure the nozzle is wide enough to accommodate the filling.
- A cooking thermometer is crucial for ensuring the vegetable oil reaches the correct temperature of 180°C for frying the cannoli shells. This ensures they cook evenly and become crisp.
How to make homemade cannoli
Ingredients
400g baker’s flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
75g cold unsalted butter, grated
2 free-range eggs
1 free-range egg yolk
150ml dry white wine
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla paste
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup dark chocolate, finely chopped
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Chopped slivered pistachios and icing sugar, to serve
Method
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Mix flour, half of the sugar and the salt in a large bowl, then add butter and rub with fingertips until combined. Combine 1 egg with the yolk and wine, add to flour mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour.
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Pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Whisk remaining egg and sugar with the cornflour, vanilla and orange zest in a bowl, pour in warmed milk, stir to combine. Return to saucepan and simmer until thickened. Cool.
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Whisk ricotta until smooth, then fold into custard with chocolate.
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Roll out dough to 3mm thick with as little flour as possible, dock with a fork, then cut into 10cm discs. Grease 6 metal cannoli tubes, wrap dough discs around tubes, using a little water to seal. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 180°C on a cooking thermometer. Cook dough, turning several times, for 2 minutes or until puffed and crisp.
Drain on paper towel, then remove tubes. Repeat with remaining dough discs, re-greasing tubes after each batch, until all dough is used.
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Fit a piping bag with a large plain nozzle, then fill with ricotta mix and pipe into cannoli. Sprinkle ends with pistachio and dust with icing sugar.
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