Simple baked cannoli recipe filled with ricotta – videorecipe

These cannoli are not the traditional Sicilian ones but they are quite similar. The traditional recipe uses Marsala whine, vinegar and cocoa powder in the pastry. I have used white wine and I have baked them instead of frying them.

I grew up with cannoli, not the Sicilian ones as I come from Northern Italy, but cannoli filled with all sorts of things. To me they are one of the best treats you can have!

I have filled them with ricotta flavoured with orange,vanilla essence and a touch of cinnamon.  You can add some chopped pistachios or chocolate chips to the ricotta too.

The result? Mmm… they were just incredible. I have brushed them with oil just before putting them in the oven and they were just as tasty as fried.

All of this with the help of my beloved friend Rosetta! I love watching Rosetta rolling pastry as she is so skilled, you can tell she has been doing this for a lifetime.

Thanks Rosetta for sharing another fab recipe!

• Prep Time : 40 minutes
• Cook Time : 15 minutes
• Yield : 30

Ingredients

• plain flour – 250 g – just over 2 cups
• eggs – 2
• sugar – 30 g – 1/8 cup
• butter – 30 g – 1/8 cup
• white wine – 100 ml – 3.4 fl oz
• For the filling:
• ricotta cheese – 700 g – 3 + 1/8 cup
• orange essence – 1 tsp
• vanilla essence – 1 tsp
• cinnamon – 1 tsp
• powdered (icing) sugar – 150 g – 1 + 1/4 cup
• chocolate chips – 2 tbsp
• ground pistachios, grated chocolate
• cannoli tubes
• oil – for brushing

Instructions

In a bowl add the wine, the sugar and the melted butter. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk.

Slowly incorporate the sifted flour and mix well.

Working with your hands form a smooth ball. Help yourself with a little more flour if the mixture feels sticky or add a little bit of milk or water if it is too dry. Let it rest in a bowl covered with cling film for an hour.

Sprinkle some flour on your worktop and roll the pastry about 2 mm / 0.08 inch thick and with a pastry cutter cut out some circles.

Make the ricotta filling by mixing the ricotta with the vanilla and orange essence, the cinnamon and the powdered sugar. Add 2 tbsp of chocolate chips if you fancy. Set aside.

Grease and flour the cannoli tubes and roll the circles of pastry around them. Line them up on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake them at 180C or 350F for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Let them cool down then fill them with the ricotta filling using a teaspoon or a syringe and dip the ends in the chopped pistachios.