Mini Cannoli's Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp salt. Cut in 3 tbsp cold diced unsalted butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use a pastry cutter or fingertips).

Add 1/4 cup Marsala wine and 1 tsp cold water and mix with a fork until dough begins to come together. If dough is dry, add additional teaspoon of water as needed. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly (about 1 minute) until smooth. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Roll and shape

After chilling, divide dough into quarters. On lightly floured surface roll each piece very thin (about 1/16 inch). Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut circles. Lightly brush edge of each circle with reserved egg white and wrap around metal cannoli tubes, sealing the edge tightly and tucking slightly to form a tight seam. Repeat until you have 18–20 shells.

Fry shells

Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of dough — it should sizzle and brown in about 30–45 seconds. Fry shells in batches (do not overcrowd) for about 1–2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Use tongs to hold tubes so edges don’t open. Remove tubes with a towel-wrapped handle or tongs once shells set and transfer shells to paper towels to drain. Let shells cool and slide off metal tubes carefully. Cool completely before filling.

If any shells soften, re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 4–6 minutes immediately before filling.

Prepare ricotta

Place 2 cups well-drained whole-milk ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press or let drain for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours in refrigerator) to remove excess moisture. This prevents a watery filling.

Transfer drained ricotta to a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth. If mixture seems grainy or too stiff, beat in up to 2 tbsp heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable but still firm.

Fold in 1 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 tsp orange zest (if using). Taste and adjust sweetness with a little more powdered sugar if desired.

Fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip (or use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped) and fill with the ricotta mixture.

Pipe filling into each cooled shell from both ends so the filling is visible at each tip. Fill just enough so shells remain crisp and don’t become soggy (fill right before serving).

Dip each filled end into mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios if desired to coat the exposed filling tips.

Lightly dust the finished cannoli with powdered sugar just before serving.

Store leftover filling refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. Store empty shells in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days; filled cannoli are best eaten within a few hours to keep shells crisp.