Italian Cream Filled Cannoli Cups Recipes

CANNOLI WITH PASTRY CREAM FILLING RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, heat milk, a strip of lemon zest and vanilla extract. Do not bring to a boil. Set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add flour and whisk.
• Pour half of the warm milk into the egg mixture and whisk until incorporated.
• Pour the mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining milk. Place on the burner over medium-high heat and whisk continuously until it comes to a gentle boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.
• Remove and discard the strip of lemon zest.
• To ensure your pastry cream is completely smooth and free of lumps, force it through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream in order to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cooled, about 2 hours.
• While the pastry cream cools prepare the shells by stirring together all-purpose flour and sugar in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and pour in the milk; red wine; vegetable oil and egg.
• Use a fork to whisk the wet ingredients and slowly begin incorporating the flour into the wet ingredients to form a dough. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
• This dough does not require a resting period and can be rolled out immediately. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, keep the remaining pieces covered to prevent the dough from drying.
• Use a pasta roller (or rolling pin) to roll out the sheets of dough until the second to last setting. Lightly sprinkle your sheets with all-purpose flour as needed if they are sticky. Keep the sheets of dough covered to prevent from drying.
• Cut the dough into 4 inch rounds with a cookie cutter or any other household item of similar size. For years my mom used a mug with a 4 inch opening.
• Reroll any scraps of dough and cut out more circles.
• Wrap the dough around the cannoli molds and seal both ends with egg white (reserve an egg white from the pastry cream). This is crucial to prevent them from unwrapping from the molds during frying.
• Fill a deep heavy bottomed pot (or use a fryer if you have one) with about 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil.
• In order to verify if the oil is hot enough try out my mom's easy method: place the end of a wooden spoon directly in the middle of the pot, if the oil immediately bubbles and sizzles around the handle it's ready for frying.
• Fry 3 or 4 cannoli shells at a time until golden. Avoid overcrowding your pot as you may have to hold them down to ensure that all sides are evenly fried. They sometimes roll over when you try to flip them!
• The shells are ready when they are golden and bubbly. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate or tray.
• Use two paper towels to carefully separate the cannoli molds from the shell (be careful, they will be extremely hot!). Wrap more dough around the molds and continue fry the remaining pieces of dough.
• Fill the cannoli shells once they are completely cooled.
• Place the cooled cannoli cream in a pastry bag with a star or round tip attachment. Alternately use a freezer bag with the tip cut off.
• Pipe the cream at both ends of each cannoli shell making sure that the cream reaches the center of the shell.
• Dust with powdered sugar (optional) and sprinkle some chopped pistachios and chocolate chips or grated chocolate (optional) on each end.
• Fill up to 4 hours prior to serving to ensure the shell stays crisp. Refrigerate the filled cannoli shells.

HOMEMADE CANNOLI

Steps:

• For the shell dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add the egg yolk and the white wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
• To roll and fry the shells: In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil, and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.
• To fill the cannolis: Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli molds. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home. Serve immediately.

CREAM-FILLED CANNOLI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make, bake and cool cupcakes as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs.
• In medium bowl, beat ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with whisk about 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon mixture into decorating bag with large round tip. Pipe ricotta mixture onto cupcakes, leaving room at edge (mixture will spread). Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat just until very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Beat in chocolate with whisk until completely melted. Let stand at least 30 minutes or until thickened and almost cool.
• Spoon dollop or 2 of chocolate mixture onto each cupcake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CANNOLI CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Roll pie dough out to desired thickness. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over one side and firmly press into the dough. Place a nonstick mini cupcake pan on top of dough for an outline. Cut out dough cups using a knife or biscuit butter. Press dough pieces into the mini cups; do not grease.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dough has slightly puffed and is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Mix ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Place into a plastic bag and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, cut a small hole in the corner tip of the plastic bag and pipe into pastry shells.