Cannoli Recipe

Prepare dough

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in 3 tablespoons cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Bind dough

Stir together 1 tablespoon Marsala (or dry white wine), 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 egg yolk, and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add liquid to flour mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms. If too dry add up to 1 teaspoon more cold water. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly (about 2 minutes) until smooth and elastic. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

Roll and shape

Divide chilled dough into quarters. Working with one piece at a time and keeping the rest covered, roll dough very thin (1/16-inch) on a lightly floured surface. Using a 4- to 5-inch round cutter, cut circles. Brush the edge of each circle with beaten egg. Wrap each circle around a lightly oiled cannoli form, overlapping edges and pressing to seal; trim excess dough. Repeat with remaining dough.

Heat oil and fry

Heat about 3–4 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet or heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry shells (on the forms) in batches—do not overcrowd—turning once, until golden and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use tongs to remove forms to a paper towel–lined tray and let cool slightly (2–3 minutes). When cool enough to handle but still warm, carefully slide shells off the forms. If a seam opens, briefly reroll and fry 10–15 seconds. While warm, dust shells lightly with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Let shells cool completely on a rack.

Make-ahead note

Shells can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not fill until ready to serve to keep them crisp.

Drain ricotta

Place 2 cups ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter over a bowl. Refrigerate and drain 1–2 hours (or overnight) until fairly dry. This prevents a watery filling that will soften shells.

Make filling

Transfer drained ricotta to a bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon orange zest. If you prefer a lighter texture, whip 2 tablespoons heavy cream to soft peaks and fold into the ricotta. If using, fold in 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips. Taste and adjust sweetness; ricotta should be sweet but not cloying.

Prepare marmalade tip

If the orange marmalade is thick, warm 4 tablespoons gently in a small saucepan or microwave for 10–15 seconds until spreadable but not hot.

Pipe filling

Fit a pastry bag with a plain 1/2-inch tip (or use a zip-top bag with a corner snipped). Spoon the ricotta filling into the bag. Pipe filling from one end of each cooled shell to the center, then from the other end so the seam side faces the plate. Fill shells only shortly before serving (within 30 minutes) to preserve crispness.

Add marmalade and garnish

Use a small spoon to dot or spread about 1 teaspoon of warmed orange marmalade into each end of the filled cannoli, or sandwich a thin layer of marmalade between filling and shell ends. Dip each end of the cannoli into chopped toasted pistachios (about 2–3 tablespoons per cannoli ends total) so pistachios adhere to the filling. Optionally, garnish ends with a few mini chocolate chips. Chill briefly (10 minutes) if you prefer a firmer filling, but serve within 1 hour for best texture.

Arrange cannoli on a platter, dust with a little additional powdered sugar if desired, and serve. Leftover filled cannoli will soften; store filling and shells separately in the refrigerator (filling up to 3 days, shells up to 2 days airtight).