Making Homemade Cannoli

From the streets of Sicily to the sidewalks of Manhattan, cannoli-a dessert comprised of tube-shaped pasta containing a unique, scrumptious filling-have gained popularity around the world. Cannoli often are found on the menu at most Italian restaurants, and they tend to pop up in the bakery section of many major grocery stores. But you'll enjoy this sweet and savory snack even more by making homemade cannoli in your own kitchen.

First, the dough

The first step in making homemade cannoli is creating the dough to be used for the crispy shells. It's important to work on this part long before you plan to serve your creations; the dough must be refrigerated for several hours before you can venture any further into the process. To make the dough for approximately 24 cannoli shells, you will need three cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-quarter cup of sugar, four tablespoons of Italian red wine, three tablespoons of shortening, two well-beaten eggs and one well-beaten egg yolk.

Once you've divvied up your ingredients and arranged them in your workspace, you can begin making homemade cannoli shells. Take the dry ingredients-flour, cinnamon, salt and sugar-and sift them together into a small bowl. Use a pastry blender to slowly add in the shortening, and continue by stirring in the wine and two eggs. Blend the mixture until it begins to cling together and forms a ball of dough. Refrigerate for three to four hours.

While your cannoli dough is being chilled, get started on the filling for the shells. You will need three cups of ricotta cheese, one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, one-quarter cup of finely chopped citron, one-quarter cup of semisweet chocolate chips and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat all three cups of ricotta cheese in a large bowl for one minute. Add the sugar, beating until the mixture is creamy. Continue by adding the cinnamon, vanilla, citron and chocolate chips. Cover the completed filling with plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator to chill it briefly.

Putting it all together

Now you can return to the process of making homemade cannoli shells. Roll your refrigerated dough into a paper-thin thickness onto a floured surface. Cut the dough into five-inch circles using a large, round cookie cutter or even an upside-down plastic container or glass bowl. Roll the circles of dough around an eight-inch-long wooden dowel (or metal cannoli tube sold specifically for the purpose). Be sure to lightly oil the cannoli tube before wrapping it with dough to ensure that the finished product can be removed without breaking once the mixture has been fried. When the dough is wrapped securely around the tube or dowel, brush it with the beaten egg yolk to seal the edges where they fold together. You should have room on either side of the dough to be able to grasp the dowel with tongs. The dough is now ready to be fried.

Fill a deep saute pan with several inches of cooking oil and heat it to 375 degrees. The pan should be large enough to easily fit two or three cannoli shells without allowing them to touch, and should completely cover the shells while also leaving an additional inch of oil above them when they are submerged. Holding the end of the metal cannoli tube or wooden dowel with a pair of tongs to avoid contact, gently lower the shells into the hot oil. Fry the shells for roughly two minutes, or until they are golden brown. Lift them from the pan with a slotted spoon, and arrange them onto a cooling rack or paper towel. Gently slide the tubes out of the shells, taking care not to touch the hot metal or crack the crisp cannoli.

Once your cannoli shells have cooled properly, it's time to stuff them with the sweet filling. You can make the shells one to two days ahead of time, as long as you store them in an airtight container so they remain crisp. To ensure your shells don't become soggy and lose their crunch, don't add the filling until shortly before you plan to serve them. Remove the filling from your refrigerator, and spoon it into a piping bag or heavy-duty Ziploc bag. Cut the corner of the bag and squeeze enough filling into each cannoli shell to fill the center, leaving a bit extra on the outer ends to dip into a decorative yet delicious item, such as miniature chocolate chips or chopped nuts. Finish by sifting a small amount of powdered sugar over the tops, and you will be enjoying homemade cannoli with family and friends in no time!