Sicilian Cannoli Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture is coarse and sandy. Make a well in center and add the egg yolk, white wine, vinegar and 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix with a fork until dough begins to come together; add the remaining tablespoon water only if needed. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly (about 1–2 minutes) until smooth. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

Roll and form shells

Divide chilled dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep others wrapped), roll dough very thin on a lightly floured surface—about 1/16" thick. Using a 4–5" round cutter (or rim of a bowl), cut circles. Brush a little water on the edge of a circle, wrap it tightly around a prepared cannoli tube overlapping edges and press to seal. Repeat to make 8 wrapped shells. Chill on a baking sheet while heating oil.

Heat oil and fry

Pour oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of 2–3 inches and attach a thermometer. Heat to 350°F (175°C). Fry 2–3 shells at a time, seam side down, turning after 30–45 seconds, until golden and crisp (about 1½–2 minutes total). Use tongs to remove shells and transfer to a paper towel-lined tray. While still warm, carefully slide the shell off the tube (or leave on tube if using for serving). Sprinkle warm shells lightly with granulated sugar. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Drain ricotta

Place ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel over a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably 2–4 hours) to remove excess moisture. Press gently to release additional liquid if needed. Properly drained ricotta yields a firmer, less watery filling.

Make filling

In a medium bowl, beat the drained ricotta with the powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt until smooth and creamy. If mixture seems stiff, fold in up to 2 tablespoons heavy cream to achieve a pipeable consistency. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Taste and adjust sugar or vanilla to preference. Chill filling for 30 minutes to firm up slightly before filling shells.

Fill shells

Fit a piping bag (or a zip-top bag with corner snipped) with a medium round tip. Spoon the chilled cannoli cream into the bag and pipe filling into each cooled shell from both ends until the center is slightly filled. Fill only when ready to serve to keep shells crisp; assembled cannoli are best eaten within 1–2 hours.

Garnish

Dip each filled end in extra mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios as desired. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.