📋 Mini Cannoli Shells With Ricotta Filling

These mini Cannoli filled with ricotta are the cannoli we would make at home in Sicily. These mini crunchy shells filled with sweet ricotta cream are much easier to make and serve. The shell is thicker and more resistant. They can be eaten mess-free in only two bites. Filling them at the last minute, the shells don't get soggy. Natural, simple, and fresh, to let the taste of the good ricotta prevails.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Authentic cannoli, cannoli with ricotta filling, Sicilian cannoli

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 4

Resting time 1

Total Time 1 44

Servings cannoli

Calories 149kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

For the shell

2 cups flour
2 tablespoon lard
½ tbsp caster sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ cup dry white wine
1 fresh eggs for sealing the shells
vegetable oil for frying

For the ricotta filling

17 oz ricotta
1 drop vanilla essence
½ cup sugar
2 drops orange blossom water or orange zest
3.5 oz dark chocolate chip
2 oz candied fruits optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the dough for the shells

Mix all the ingredients together until you have a smooth dough
2 cups flour, 2 tablespoon lard, ½ tablespoon caster sugar, 1 pinch salt, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, ¼ cup dry white wine
Wrap the dough into cling film and let it rest for 10 minutes
Cut the dough into 20 equal parts
Make 20 balls

Making the rounds using the dough press

Open the press and lay a sheet of parchment paper over the disk and dust with plenty of flour
Place a ball of dough in the center, make sure it is well-floured, and cover with another sheet of parchment paper
Close the top disk and press
Open the press and remove the round from the parchment paper
The circles will be 2.5 in - 6.5 cm in diameter

Other ways to make the rounds

Roll the dough flat with a pasta roll
Or roll the dough with a rolling pin
Cut the circles with a cookie cutter

Wrapping the shells around the tube

Coat all the tubes in vegetable oil, the same oil you use for frying
vegetable oil for frying
Prepare the egg wash by whipping an egg
1 fresh eggs
Place the tube in the middle of the circle (2.5 in - 6.5 cm of diameter)
Fold one side and brush with the egg wash the edge of the dough over the tube
Fold the other side and seal the two ends

Frying and removing the tube

Once the first 10 shells are ready, prepare the fryer
vegetable oil for frying
Place the shells inside the fryer filled with hot oil
Fry until they turn golden brown
Drain the excess oil
Place them on a kitchen paper to absorb the rest of the oil
Holding the tubes with kitchen paper, remove the tubes from the shells. The tube will be very hot
Make the second batch of shells

Making the ricotta filling

Before you make the ricotta cream, make sure the ricotta is well drained from the water
17 oz ricotta
Mix with a blender the ricotta, the sugar, and the flavoring (vanilla, orange blossom water, or zest from an orange or lemon)
1 drop vanilla essence, ½ cup sugar, 2 drops orange blossom water
Best if you let the filling rest in the fridge for few hours

How to compose them

Place the ricotta cream into a piping pastry bag
Push the cream at the front of the pipe so there are no air pockets
Pipe the cream inside the shells from each side
You can decorate each side of the cannoli with chocolate chips or grated toasted pistachios
2 oz candied fruits, 3.5 oz dark chocolate chip
Dust them with icing sugar and serve immediately

Video

Notes

The Cannoli should be filled at the last minute, just before serving them so the shell does not have time to absorb the humidity from the filling.
Some bakeries cover the inside of the cannoli shells with chocolate to create a protective layer that will prevent the shells from getting soaking wet.
The classic Sicilian desserts are made with sheep's milk ricotta, which is not as easy to find outside Italy. You can use cow's milk ricotta
Once the shells are ready they will keep for few days stored in an air-thigh container until you are ready to fill them with the ricotta cream.
Before you make the ricotta cream, make sure you ricotta is well drained from the water
Since the cannoli needs to be filled just before serving, you can make both the cream and the shells the day before

Nutrition