Cannoli

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup wine
• shortening, for frying
• 4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherry
• 1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, optional

Recipe

• 1 to make shells, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.
• 2 cut in butter.
• 3 add egg yolks; stir with a fork.
• 4 stir in wine, 1 tablespooon at a time, with a fork until dough clings together.
• 5 form a ball with the dough and let stand for 30 minutes.
• 6 roll dough almost paper thin, on a well-floured surface.
• 7 using the rim of a margarita glass (about 3-4 inches across), make circle imprints into rolled dough.
• 8 using a paring knife, make sure circles are cut all the way through.
• 9 roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube, overlaping the ends and press to seal, flaring out the edges slightly.
• 10 fry one or two at a time in hot melted shortening (about 360°f) for approximately 1 minute, turning to brown all sides.
• 11 remove from hot grease and drain on paper towels, seam side down.
• 12 let cool a minute or two before trying to remove metal tube.
• 13 to remove the tube hold cannoli shell down on the paper towel and carefully slide the tube out one end.
• 14 leave cannoil shells on paper towel, seam side down to cool completely.
• 15 ~note~shells can be stored in airtight containers and made several days prior to filling.
• 16 for filling, drain ricotta cheese over cheesecloth if ricotta is watery.
• 17 combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.
• 18 squeeze maraschino cherries with paper towels to remove all liquid.
• 19 (if you don't squeeze them good, you will have a pink water filling!).
• 20 stir in cherries and chocolate chips into the ricotta mixture, being careful not to over mix.
• 21 for a lighter filling, you may whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to form stiff peaks, and fold into filling mixture at this step.
• 22 chill filling for about 30 minutes before piping into cooled cannoli shells.
• 23 you may garnish the cannoli by sprinkling powdered sugar on top.
• 24 whipped cream, a cherry, and shaved chocolate can also be used to garnish the top.
• 25 keep refrigerated until time of serving.