Italian Homemade Baked Cannoli
User Reviews
4.7
Italian Homemade Baked Cannoli
Description
This recipe combines a pastry dough of flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, egg, butter, and white wine to form thin rounds that are wrapped around cannoli tubes. The dough is chilled before being thinly rolled out and cut. The shells can be baked until crisp or fried briefly in hot oil, depending on preference. The resulting shells have a firm, crisp texture with subtle chocolate and cinnamon flavors enhancing the traditional cannoli shell profile.
The filling consists of ricotta cheese drained thoroughly overnight, then passed through a sieve for a smooth texture before sweetening with sugar. Mini dark chocolate chips are folded into the sweetened ricotta to add bursts of chocolate flavor. The creamy ricotta contrasts with the crisp, spiced shell for a balanced consistency.
These cannoli can be served as a dessert or special occasion treat. The baked shells offer a lighter option but can be fried for a traditional result. They pair well with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of melted chocolate. The shells should be filled just before serving to retain crispness.
Shells keep for several days in an airtight container if unfilled and can be frozen for long-term storage. The ricotta filling does not freeze well, so it is best prepared fresh. If making tart shells instead, prick the bottom before baking to prevent puffing and use pie weights for even baking.
Ingredients
PASTRY
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon cocoa powder unsweetened dutch processed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine or Marsala, room temperature
- 1 - 2 tablespoons butter softened
CHOCOLATE COATING
- 4.4 ounces dark chocolate melted, good quality
- ¼-½ cup nuts chopped
RICOTTA FILLING
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips mini
Instructions
RICOTTA FILLING
- cheese cloth or in a sieve over a clean bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. It has to drain as long as possible to remove excess moisture.
- Remove the ricotta from the fridge and with a spatula over a clean bowl push the ricotta through the sieve. This will make it nice and creamy, add the sugar a little at a time and taste until desired sweetness (I used ½ cup of sugar you may want more or less). Fold in the chocolate chips.
FOR THE PASTRY
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon, make a well in the middle and add the butter (start with 1 tablespoon if too dry add the remaining tablespoon), egg and wine mixing with a fork. Bring it together to form a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F/180C, lightly grease and flour 15 cannoli tubes or make your own tubes with rolled up pieces of foil.
- Roll dough out very thin and cut with a round cookie cutter (medium size), wrap the pastry so that the edges overlap and seal by brushing with a little egg white (beat slightly) or water.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until pastry is golden. Let cool completely before coating or dipping with chocolate and nuts, let the chocolate firm up before filling with the ricotta cream.
- Place the filling in a pastry bag with a large tip and fill the cannoli, make sure to fill just before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before serving. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE COATING
- Break chocolate into pieces and melt (either microwave or place chocolate in a small bowl and place over a small pot of boiling water make sure water does not touch bowl with chocolate).Let cool a little then dip each end of the cannoli in the chocolate then dip in the chopped nuts. Set aside to harden before filling.
Notes
- Drain ricotta overnight to remove moisture for a creamy filling.
- Baked cannoli shells keep 3-4 days airtight; freeze shells up to 10-12 months but not the filling.
- For tart versions, prick and bake with weights for crisp shells.
- Fry shells in 350°F oil for about 60 seconds for traditional texture; cool before filling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 15pastries
Amount Per Serving
Calories 249 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 249kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 57mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 157mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 260IU | 5% |
| Calcium | 122mg | 12% |
| Iron | 1.9mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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