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Cannoli
Updated Jan. 19, 2024
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- Total Time
- 1 hour 25 minutes, plus 8 hours’ chilling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes, plus 8 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1cup/135 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon Morton coarse kosher salt
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1ounce lard or refined coconut oil, chilled
- 1large egg
- ¼cup dry white wine
- 8cups neutral oil, such as peanut, for frying
- 16ounces/452 grams best-quality whole-milk ricotta, scraped into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and drained in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours
- ½cup/55 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 2teaspoons honey
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon juice
- Generous pinch of kosher salt
- Finely chopped pistachios, mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings, and/or candied citrus peel, for serving
For the Shells
For Filling and Assembly
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the shells: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add the lard and use two knives or a pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea. Use your fingertips to further work the lard into the flour until the bits are about the size of a lentil. Create a well, then set the bowl aside.
- Step 2
In a small bowl, beat the egg thoroughly, then measure out 1 tablespoon and add to the well along with the wine. Cover the remaining beaten egg and place in the refrigerator for forming the shells later. Use a fork to work the liquid into the flour mixture until it’s absorbed, then switch to your hands and knead the dough inside the bowl until it comes together and no dry spots remain.
- Step 3
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it, using the heel of your hand to push it away from you, then fold it back onto itself in a repetitive motion, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough feels elastic and is soft and supple, about 4 minutes. (The surface texture will still be a little rough.)
- Step 4
Wrap the dough in plastic and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24.
- Step 5
Prepare the filling: Remove the drained ricotta from the refrigerator and discard any liquid it has released. (The volume will vary depending on the ricotta you’re using.) Use a flexible spatula to press the ricotta through the sieve into a large bowl, then add the confectioners’ sugar, honey, vanilla extract, orange zest, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Whisk the mixture just until combined, then scrape the filling into a pastry bag or a large resealable plastic bag, working it into the point or a corner. Press out the air and twist the bag to seal, then transfer to the refrigerator.
- Step 6
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and divide in half. Form the pieces into spheres, then set aside one of the pieces and cover with the plastic. Place the other piece on a lightly floured work surface and dust with more flour. Roll it out, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, into a thin circle measuring about 10 inches across and ⅛-inch thick. Use a 4½-inch round cutter to punch out 3 circles. (If you don’t have a cutter, you can use a small saucer or container lid and trace around it with a wheel cutter.) Lift the circles and place beneath the plastic alongside the other piece of dough, then gather the scraps and set aside.
- Step 7
Repeat the rolling process with the second piece of dough and punch 3 more circles. Keeping the circles covered, combine all the scraps and form into a ball. Roll out the scraps into an ⅛-inch-thick oval large enough to cut 2 additional circles, giving the dough a little more force since it will want to spring back on you more than the first 2 pieces. Discard any remaining scraps, then cover all 8 circles on the work surface and let them sit for 10 minutes so the dough can relax.
- Step 8
Place one of the dough circles on the work surface and roll over it with the rolling pin, working back and forth in a single direction and then in the perpendicular direction, lengthening it and thinning it out until you have a rhombus-like shape measuring no more than 2 millimeters thick and about 5½ inches long in both directions. Place one 5 ½- or 6-inch cannoli mold across the longest part of the dough, then bring one of the opposite sides of the dough up and over so the edge is resting on the mold. Brush the edge resting on the mold with a dab of the reserved beaten egg, then fold the opposite edge of the dough up and over the mold, pressing it onto the egg-coated surface and overlapping by about ½ inch. Press firmly on the overlapped dough to seal, then grasp the mold on either end and gently lift it (and the dough) off the work surface, then set aside. Repeat this process with the remaining circles of dough, molds and egg. Set the molds aside and let sit uncovered at room temperature while you heat the oil, then slide off the molds.
- Step 9
Pour the oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, making sure not to fill it more than halfway (you may not use all the oil; save it for another use). Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the Dutch oven and heat over medium-high until the oil registers 325 degrees. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to heat until the oil registers 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with two layers of paper towels and set next to the stovetop.
- Step 10
Use a pair of tongs to grasp a mold by the ends and gently lift it (and the dough along with it) off the work surface and lower it into the oil so it’s submerged. Hold the mold in place with the tongs until the dough puffs, blisters and starts to turn a little golden, about 20 seconds. Gently release it into the oil, then repeat with 3 more molds. Fry the first 4 shells, gently turning them often so they cook evenly, until they’re blistered all over and deep golden brown and the bubbling has mostly subsided, about 2 minutes per shell. Keep an eye on the oil temperature, as adding the shells will cause it to drop — increase the heat as needed to maintain a temperature of around 350 degrees. Lift the shells from the oil as they finish cooking, allowing any excess to drain into the Dutch oven, then transfer to the lined baking sheet. (If any molds slipped out of the shells during frying, remove them as well, making sure to let them drain.) Fry the remaining shells just as you did the first batch and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Turn off the oil and let the shells cool completely.
- Step 11
Remove the filling from the refrigerator and snip a 1-inch opening in the tip or corner. Generously pipe the filling into both ends of each shell, then coat the exposed filling in chopped pistachio or mini chocolate chips, or garnish with candied peel. Serve immediately.
- The shells can be fried several hours before filling, but should be served the day they’re made. Keep them loosely covered at room temperature. The filling can be made 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated. Fill the cannoli just before serving.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
My aunt worked in Italian pastry shop in Newark, NJ for years. To form the shells, they used wooden dowels approximately 3- inch diameter. For the filling they used Ricotta Impestata. The reason why people eat cannoli with soggy shells, is that have been filled and sat in refrigeration for a period of time. Cannolis are best eaten freshly filled.
Organic powdered sugar (used one for one) is indeed tastier than regular powdered sugar. I can taste the "chalky taste" mentioned. Conventional powdered sugar usually has added cornstarch, which is an anticaking substance and often contains GMOs, and that has a chalky taste and texture. Organic cornstarch, on the other hand, uses tapioca starch
Question : The end of Step 8 says to slide off the molds, but subsequent steps indicate the molds are still on. Should that instruction be at the end of Step 10?
If you can't travel to Sicily, watch Detective Montalbano on MHz while making and eating these cannolis!
Make your own ricotta! Times Cooking has a simple, easy recipe, and its really easy to get the cheese dry enough for cannoli. Also, the liquid drained from the cheese can be used in soup stock, and many other uses. Our dogs love "cheese water."
In the video, Clare says to put the used oil in the garbage if not recycling it. That is not a good thing to do. Used oil can certainly be added to compost or poured out in a garden, and the microbes will love it. Of course, that's not feasible for those who live in apartments, so recyclingis their best option. But please don't put it in the garbage.
Thank you for your recipe, Claire! I will be using your recipe for the shells, but I will be filling them with homemade whipped cream. Why, you ask? My godfather was from Palermo and owned his own "shop." He made these, but because I don't eat cheese, he filled it with whipped cream! I miss him dearly. When I saw your recipe, the picture looks just like ones he used to make!
It's a mistake. The shells, with the molds on, are fried that way and are slid off after frying.
In the video Claire says to save the bottles to fill with the oil and put in the garbage. If your trash is collected by a truck with a compactor the bottle will get squeezed and the oil will come out the bottom of the truck onto your parking lot or driveway or curbside. I've seen this. I bought a product called Fryaway and used it to solidify my leftover cooking oil. It worked.
My Sicilian mother makes cannoli using a pasta machine and rolling the dough so thin that a recipe for 1 dozen shells makes over 100. The shells are very delicate and must be filled immediately before eating, but are magical in their delicacy and better than any you’ve ever had, anywhere.
I rolled these out using a pasta maker and was able to get 10 shells out of the dough and there was just enough filling to fill all 10. If you somehow push it beyond 10 you're gonna be out of filling and have a terrible day.
To the commenter bellow with GMOs cornstarch - GMO corn is created to resist insect pests or tolerate herbicides, it's completely safe for humans and animals, not different from a regular selection corn. I agree that starchy taste may be a bit annoying, but the hysteria around GMO should stop.
My daughter and I made these after she brought back the cylinders from Sicily. The ricotta filling with the orange zest is to die for! Loved the taste of the shells but will need to work on the technique to get more bubbles.
These were delicious! The dough was well flavored and the fry time was perfect. I did get more like 10 molds out of the dough. The filling was delicious, but made barely enough for 6 cannoli :( next time I would probably do 16 oz of ricotta combined with 8 oz of marscapone, a rations I’ve tried and enjoyed before. Appreciated the detailed instructions!
These were fabulous. A lot of work and mess but worth it. Even though Claire says to serve them the day they are made, we couldn't eat that many, so I refrigerated the filling and stored the shells in a covered container. Still delicious combined the next day.
I really want to make these however I do nnot want to use lard. It seems like Coconut may have a flavor that would not be "authentic" ...;What about butter?
Is it necessary to push the ricotta through the strainer? Or is draining it enough? Looking for tips on that step!
Modified the filling to be 8 oz of marscapone and 8 oz of whole milk ricotta. Also cut powdered sugar down to 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon of honey. Delish!
I made these with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. Everyone loved them, including non gluten free family. I filled the leftover shells with the ricotta filling, wrapped in wax paper and put into the freezer. My family loves to eat frozen cannoli (depending on the freezer, thaw a few minutes so they are not rock hard) now I can too! Thank you for the detailed recipe and video!
Was wondering regarding the air-bubbles on the shell, could it be caused by air bubbles from egg proteins (albumin) being trapped?
My Sicilian mother makes cannoli using a pasta machine and rolling the dough so thin that a recipe for 1 dozen shells makes over 100. The shells are very delicate and must be filled immediately before eating, but are magical in their delicacy and better than any you’ve ever had, anywhere.
I also use Fryaway--it's biodegradable and works to solidify the oil. I love the stuff. I get in on line and it's not that expensive. I had oil spill in my garbage can once and it was a mess I will never forget! I think I will try the cannoli with heavy cream. Am not a fan of ricotta...
Can the shells be made in advance? If so how long can they be kept - a day or two!
One tip from someone who has made a couple thousand cannoli, is to buy ricotta without any fillers. Avoid any product with guar gum etc. Best quality ricotta will have three ingredients: milk, salt, vinegar.
Impastata ricotta is the key to the perfect cannoli filling. Forego regular ricotta and find a market that sells impastata. You don’t need to drain it and the taste and texture is sublime. You’ll never regret it.
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