Mini Cannoli Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Cut in 3 tbs cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in optional 1 tsp mascarpone if using. Mix in 1 egg yolk, 3 tbs white wine (or water) and 1/2 tsp white vinegar until dough comes together. If dough is too dry add up to 1 tsp more liquid. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll and shape

Lightly flour work surface with 1/4 cup flour. Roll chilled dough as thin as you can (about 1/16 inch). Using a round cutter about 3.5–4 inches in diameter (or a drinking glass), cut 8 rounds. Brush a little beaten egg white on one edge of each round (or water) and wrap each round around a cannoli tube, overlapping edges to seal. Press gently to secure.

Fry shells

Heat 3 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 2–3 wrapped shells at a time; turn once so they brown evenly, about 1–2 minutes total, until deep golden and crisp. Remove tubes with tongs and drain on paper towels for 1–2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, carefully slide shells off tubes and let shells finish cooling on a wire rack. Repeat until all shells are fried. Allow shells to cool completely before filling.

Dust shells

When shells are cool, dust lightly with 1/2 cup powdered sugar using a fine sieve. Set aside until ready to fill.

Drain ricotta

Place 2 cups ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel over a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) to remove excess liquid. Properly drained ricotta yields a thicker, non-watery filling.

Prepare filling

In a bowl, beat 2 oz softened cream cheese (if using) until smooth. Add drained ricotta, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp orange zest and 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon. Beat until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a lighter texture, whip 2 tbs heavy cream separately to soft peaks and fold gently into the ricotta mixture. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.

Chill filling

Cover the filling and chill for 30 minutes to firm up (this makes piping easier).

Fill shells

Transfer chilled filling to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip (or use a zip-top bag with corner snipped). Pipe filling into each end of the cooled shells and also into the center until shells are nicely filled but not overflowing. For mini cannoli aim for about 2–3 tablespoons filling per shell depending on shell size.

Garnish ends

Press a small amount of extra mini chips and/or chopped pistachios into each end of the filled cannoli. This helps seal the filling and provides a decorative contrast.

Final dusting and serve

Just before serving, dust filled cannoli lightly with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Serve immediately for the crispest shell. If you must store, place filled cannoli in a single layer in the refrigerator and consume within 6–8 hours to avoid soggy shells. Unfilled shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.