Cannoli, popularised in the English-speaking world by the particular fondness of the dessert of Italian-Americans as depicted in film and television, are one of Sicily's best-loved and most enduringly popular sweet treats. Indulgent, tasty, and fairly addictive, if you're trying to conjure the perfect beaches, Arab-Norman architecture, dramatically barren landscape, vibrant culture, and slow and leisurely pace of life of Sicily but can't get there in person, cannoli are just the ticket! Travel with your taste-buds from the safety of your own kitchen today and try your hand at making this delicious dessert until you can savour the authentic flavours in person in Sicily!
Ingredients:
Shell:
150g of plain flour
15g of sugar
25g of suet
1 tbsp of white vinegar
1 pinch of cinnamon
1l of sunflower oil
Filling:
500g of ricotta
3 tbsp of icing sugar, sifted
40g of finely chopped dark chocolate
1 tbsp of Amaretto (can be substituted by rum or white marsala)
To decorate the top:
Icing sugar
Finely ground pistachio nuts
Method:
1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the shell ingredients (except the sunflower oil) with a tablespoon of cold water. Knead the mixture thoroughly until you will have a dough that is elastic and smooth. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest an hour.
2. Preheat a heavy pan or a deep fryer with the sunflower oil to 180°C.
3. Roll out the dough thinly to around 0.5cm thickness and then cut into circles that are about 8.5cm in diameter. Wrap around a metal cannoli tube (if you don't have these just laying around the house, there are some possible substitutes). Fry the shells until they turn a nice, light brown colour, turning them with tongs to ensure even cooking. Once they are cooked, set aside on some kitchen towel to cool and allow the excess oil to drain from the shells.
4. Mix all of the filling ingredients in a bowl until creamy and smooth and then place into a piping bag and leave in the fridge.
5. When you want to serve, take the piping bag from the fridge and pipe the desired amount into each shell. Finish by dusting the tops with the icing sugar and pistachios.
6. Enjoy and dream of your next trip to Italy!
Shell:
150g of plain flour
15g of sugar
25g of suet
1 tbsp of white vinegar
1 pinch of cinnamon
1l of sunflower oil
Filling:
500g of ricotta
3 tbsp of icing sugar, sifted
40g of finely chopped dark chocolate
1 tbsp of Amaretto (can be substituted by rum or white marsala)
To decorate the top:
Icing sugar
Finely ground pistachio nuts
Method:
1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the shell ingredients (except the sunflower oil) with a tablespoon of cold water. Knead the mixture thoroughly until you will have a dough that is elastic and smooth. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest an hour.
2. Preheat a heavy pan or a deep fryer with the sunflower oil to 180°C.
3. Roll out the dough thinly to around 0.5cm thickness and then cut into circles that are about 8.5cm in diameter. Wrap around a metal cannoli tube (if you don't have these just laying around the house, there are some possible substitutes). Fry the shells until they turn a nice, light brown colour, turning them with tongs to ensure even cooking. Once they are cooked, set aside on some kitchen towel to cool and allow the excess oil to drain from the shells.
4. Mix all of the filling ingredients in a bowl until creamy and smooth and then place into a piping bag and leave in the fridge.
5. When you want to serve, take the piping bag from the fridge and pipe the desired amount into each shell. Finish by dusting the tops with the icing sugar and pistachios.
6. Enjoy and dream of your next trip to Italy!
