Cannoli (cannola)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: It's important to use rennet-based ricotta, not acid or vinegar
based ricotta. The Times Test Kitchen tried to make the cannoli
filling with acid based ricotta and found it didn't thicken well
enough to stay in the shells.  CANNOLI SHELLS: Sift together flour,
powdered sugar, cinnamon, cocoa  powder and pinch of salt. Sift again.
Cut butter into flour mixture  until mixture is consistency of corn
meal. Cut in beaten egg. Add  white wine slowly, until dough ball
forms. Knead dough just enough to  achieve elastic consistency.
Over-kneading will cause cannoli pastry  to become tough. Wrap dough in
floured cloth and let it rest 15  minutes. Pour oil into 6-quart pot
over medium heat and slowly heat  it to 350 degrees. (Test with
thermometer or by dropping in small  square of bread that should brown
quickly but not burn.) After dough  has rested and while oil is
heating, divide dough into quarters.  Working with 1 quarter at a time
and leaving rest covered, roll out  dough on lightly floured surface
until 1/16-inch thick. Cut into  4-inch circles with cookie cutter as
closely together as possible.  With rolling pin, shape these circles
into ovals slightly shorter  than cannoli forms. Wrap each oval
securely around a cannoli form,  overlapping it in center. Moisten edge
with a little egg white and  press seams together to seal. Be certain
not to "glue" dough to  cannoli form with egg white. (Whites should
touch dough, not cannoli  form.) Flare edges of dough to create
traditional cannoli shape. Drop  several shells into heated oil. Fry
until shells are rich brown all  around, 2 to 3 minutes. If using
stainless steel forms, gently turn  cannoli with wooden spoon for even
browning during frying (cannoli  made with lighter bamboo forms tend to
rise to surface and turn on  their own). To remove cooked shells from
oil, slip tine of carving  fork inside form and carefully lift from
oil. Hold it over oil to  drain. Exercise extreme caution to prevent
burns. Gently roll shells  on brown paper to absorb excess grease. When
they are cool enough to  handle, gently hold shell in 1 hand while
grasping cannoli form with  fingers of other hand and remove with
slight twist. Repeat rolling  and frying process until all dough and
scraps have been made into  shells. RICOTTA-CREAM FILLING: Pass ricotta
through largest-holed  screen of food mill to break up curds. (Do not
use electric mixer; it  will destroy the curds.) Stir in sugar with
wooden spoon. Mix in  liqueur and vanilla, then fold in mixed candied
fruits and chocolate  chips. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
ASSEMBLY: Generously fill  shells using pastry bag or spoon. Fill them
from 1 end, and then from  opposite end. Decorate ends with candied
orange peel and halved or  whole candied cherries. Dust each cannoli
with powdered sugar and  serve. Yields 24 cannoli.  Each cannoli: 180
calories; 60 mg sodium; 22 mg cholesterol; 7 grams  fat; 25 grams
carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.04 gram fiber  Comments: The word
"cannola" comes from the Sicilian word for cane or  bamboo, " 'a
canna," which was the material from which cannoli-shell  forms were
originally made. Nowadays, these forms are made of tin or  stainless
steel and are easily found in cookware stores. Bamboo ones,  however,
are easy to make and produce a flakier, puffier pastry  shell. To make
them, cut dried bamboo poles with a fine-toothed saw  into 6-inch
lengths about 1 inch in diameter, with no rings or taper.  Store them
in a well-ventilated container for years of use. Whether  using
store-bought or homemade forms, it is best to have at least 8  of them
on hand to make the shells efficiently. Cannoli shells may be  made up
to two days before needed, loosely covered with waxed paper  and stored
in a dry place. Do not refrigerate. Fill cannoli just  before serving,
as the ricotta cream tends to make the shells soft  and rubbery.
Refrigerating filled cannoli, even for very few minutes,  will
accelerate this condition.  Recipe Source: Los Angeles Times -
12-02-1998

A Message from our Provider:

“Jesus Christ! The answer is on everyone’s lips”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 611
Calories From Fat: 556
Total Fat: 63.1g
Cholesterol: 19.4mg
Sodium: 497.2mg
Potassium: 34.5mg
Carbohydrates: 11.3g
Fiber: <1g
Sugar: 1.5g
Protein: 1.7g