Homemade Cannoli

A big holiday weekend is just around the corner.... and when I think of big holidays, I think of big family gatherings.... and when I think of big family gatherings, I think of big platters of delicious cannoli!  If you live in a big city, you're likely able to get your hands on some pretty good cannoli, but I live in the burbs, were a good cannoli is practically unheard of, so I make my own.  And now you can make your own too - this is how it's done. 

Note:  plan ahead, the filling needs to be prepared about 24 hours before using.  The cannoli shells can be used immediately after cooking, but you can also make them several days ahead of time if you store them in an airtight container (or freeze for up to a month).

Start by mixing together a simple cannoli shell dough, similar to the way you'd make pie dough.  I like to make my dough in the food processor (if you want to see that, check out my all-butter pie crust tutorial). 

The dough will look crumbly, but should hold together when compressed.  The least messy way to do this is to place the crumbles in a large zipper bag and press them into a disk shape.

Seal the bag and place the dough in the fridge.

The dough should chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

When it's time to roll the dough, remove it from the fridge and dust it with a little flour.

Now go down to the basement and dig out your pasta machine (am I right??).  Set the rollers at the widest setting.  For my machine, the widest setting starts at #1, but some machines that would actually be the thinnest setting.  You'll be able to figure out the widest setting on your machine pretty easily.

No pasta machine?  No problem - you can use a rolling pin, but I have to tell you, using a pasta machine is so much more fun! 

Ok, now that your pasta machine's rollers are set for the widest setting, pass the flour-dusted cannoli dough through the rollers.  If you have any kids around, I bet they'd enjoy cranking the handle.

Adjust the rollers of the pasta machine one level thinner.  Dust the now elongated piece of dough with a little more flour and pass it through the machine again.

Continue dusting, adjusting, and rolling, one level at a time, until the dough is very thin like (1/16-inch) - level #5 on my machine (the thinner you roll the dough, the more bubbles will appear on the shells when you fry them).

Continue dusting, rolling, adjusting... dusting, rolling, adjusting....

When you've reached the 5th level, stop rolling and grab a 4-inch round cutter..  Dust the cutter in flour and start cutting the cannoli shells.

The round cutouts aren't quite ready to use yet...

One more quick pass through the pasta machine, this time on the 6th level.  This will turn the round cutouts into ovals - you'll see why in a moment.

Alrighty, time to wrap the dough around the stainless cannoli forms.

Add a dab of water just where the two ends overlap.  Be careful not to get water on the cannoli form because it will cause the dough to stick and the shell will break when you try to remove it.

Press the overlapping edges together well to make sure they're sealed.  If you don't, they can pop open and fall off the form during frying.

If you like, you can flare the ends a little.  Honestly, it looks nice, but I don't usually bother.

Continue rolling the shells while you heat several inches of peanut oil in a deep pan.  

Heat the oil to 360F.  A good candy/oil thermometer is vital (I have this one).

You should also have ready a pair of tongs to remove the shells from the hot oil, and a paper towel lined sheet pan to place them on.  

CAREFULLY place the dough-wrapped cannoli forms in the oil and cook until brown and bubbly, being careful not to crowd the pan.  Watch the oil temp - it shouldn't fall below 350F. 

The shells will deepen in color a bit after being removed from the oil so it's not a bad idea to make a few practice ones first.

Carefully remove the extremely hot cannoli forms from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined sheet pan to cool for a few minutes (watch for hot oil inside the forms).  Carefully slide the shells off the forms (if the shells are too hot, hold them with a clean kitchen towel).   Allow the forms to cool completely before wrapping with more dough.  Continue until all the shells are done.

Remember what I told about not pressing the seams closed well enough?  Oops!  No biggie, cook's treat ;).  

Let me point out a few differences between the two shells above.  The non-flared one on the left started with a thinner disk of dough (resulting in tiny surface bubbles), but you can see by the color that it was left in the hot oil just a little too long.  The flared one on the right started with slightly thicker dough (larger surface bubbles), but it spent the right amount of time in the hot oil.

The shells should be allowed to cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week (or freeze for up to a month).  

IMPORTANT:  Don't fill the cannoli shells until just before serving.

To make the filling, drain ricotta cheese in a cloth lined strainer overnight in the fridge.  Cover with plastic to keep the cheese from absorbing any refrigerator odors. 

Once all the excess whey has drained from the ricotta, add the softened mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, pure vanilla extract (use the best), and ground cinnamon.  Mix them well and chill for 8-12 hours for best flavor.

When you're ready to fill the shells (shortly before serving), put the filling in a large pastry bag (I like these) or large, heavy-duty zipper bag and cut a 1/2-inch hole at the tip.  Squeeze the filling into each end of the cannoli shells, then dip in chopped pistachios or mini chocolate chips (or both!).  Place the cannoli on a platter and dust with confectioner's sugar (this nifty tool is fun).  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• manual pasta machine https://amzn.to/44327rD

• pasta machine attachment for stand mixer https://amzn.to/434Sbwm

• cannoli forms https://amzn.to/3JzdnUu

• spider strainer https://amzn.to/3GD7kdp

• candy/oil thermometer https://amzn.to/4372pwi

• round cutter set https://amzn.to/44jAsT9

• disposable pastry bags https://amzn.to/2DUO4HZ

• large pastry tubes https://amzn.to/3JbQJPo

• powdered sugar duster https://amzn.to/2pHT0Lb

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Homemade Cannoli

makes about 24 cannoli (leftover cannoli dough can be frozen for use later)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Cannoli Shells:

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 egg yolk

• 1/2 cup dry white or rose wine

Cannoli Filling:

• 2 cups very well drained ricotta cheese (see notes below)

• 6 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• mini chocolate chips and chopped pistachios for garnish

Directions

To make the cannoli dough:

1. In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

2. Add the butter, egg yolk, and wine, pulsing until the mixture looks uniformly crumbled.

3. Place crumbles in zipper bag and press into a disk shape.

4. Seal bag well and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

To make the cannoli shells:

1. Roll dough very thin (about 1/16th-inch) using pasta machine, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

2. Cut 4-inch circles using a round biscuit of cookie cutter and pass each round through the pasta machine one more time to turn the round into an oval.

3. Wrap oval dough around stainless cannoli forms; moisted overlapping edges with a little water and press well to seal (keeping water off cannoli form.

4. Fry shells in 360F oil until bubbly and golden; remove from heat, drain, and remove from forms when cool enough to do so. Cool completely before filling. Leftover shells can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week (or frozen for up to a month).

To make the filling:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or BeaterBlade attachment, place drained ricotta, mascarpone, cream, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; beat on medium speed until smooth.

2. Place mixture in a pastry bag or sturdy zip top bag; refrigerate until ready to use. Don't fill shells until serving.

Notes

• To drain ricotta, place in a sieve lined with cheesecloth (or coffee filter, linen tea towel, etc) and suspend over a bowl; cover well with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

• Prepared filling should chill 8-12 hours for best flavor.

• For best results, fill shells just before serving.

• If you don’t have metal cannoli tubes, you can use 1 1/4-inch thick wooden dowels that have been cut to 6-inch lengths.

I got this lovely message from a fellow foodie:

I have searched for a cannoli shell recipe for a very long time that is reminiscent of my Sicilian heritage. Bubbled pastry with a sturdiness. I can be obnoxious on quality to the point that I’ve made homemade impastata for a few years because getting it is nearly impossible and because good shells aren’t available to purchase in the south either, I’ve shipped them from upstate ny for 15 years. Crazy right?!?! Last week, I decided I was going find or modify a recipe. With the forms from Italy in hand, I have made 10 recipes which all failed to capture my idea of a perfect shell. I saw your recipe last night and was so excited to finally find one that made sense to me. I’m a huge pastry and artisan bread baker so I know kneading dough creates gluten which is the opposite of what you want in pastry. I’ve read people saying so many times that kneading gives you the bubbles or the vinegar gives you bubbles. All nonsense! I just finished my test of your recipe. Perfection! Thank you. -CM

DIY Corned Beef

I recently learned how easy it is to make corned beef from scratch and I thought, since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I'd show you how it's done.  And let me just go on the record and say this, you may never go back to the stuff from the grocery store again.  

Be sure to plan ahead -  the brisket needs to brine for 6-8 days before cooking. And you'll also need to find pink curing salt, not to be confused with pickling salt, pink himalayan salt, or pink Peruvian salt (look for Instacure #1 or Prague powder #1).  You can order it online or you might be able to get some from a butcher, or a friend who makes their own sausage and/or cures their own bacon.

First prepare the brine.  The beef brisket will sit in the brine for a minimum of 6 days and a maximum of 8.  Clockwise from top left:  table salt, whole garlic cloves, brown sugar, pink curing salt (instacure #1), bay leaves, whole allspice berries, whole coriander seeds, whole peppercorns.

You'll also need 16 cups of water and a non-reactive vessel that’s large enough to hold the brine and brisket (non-reactive vessels would be glass, food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or ceramic). I used this ginormous 13.25-quart French oven, but anything that's big enough and isn't made of aluminum, uncoated cast iron, carbon steel, or unlined copper will work.

Add the brisket, bay, garlic, peppercorns, allspice berries, and coriander seeds.  My brisket stayed completely submerged in the brine.  If yours doesn't stay submerged, it can be weighed down with a dinner plate.

Cover the container and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 days and a maximum of 8 days.  Less than 6 days and the brine won't penetrate all the way through the brisket.  More than 8 days and the brisket will be too salty.

Here's what the brined brisket looks like after 8 days.  Remove the brisket and discard the brine.

On the day you cook the corned beef, you'll need more peeled garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.  Also preheat the oven to 250F.

Place the brined brisket in 10-quart or larger stockpot and add the bay, peppercorns, and garlic.

Pour in 8 cups of cold water.

Bring to a boil on the stove top, then remove from heat and cover.

Place in center of preheated oven for 3 hours.

Return stockpot to stovetop and transfer corned beef to platter; drizzle with some cooking liquid to keep it from drying out.  Add the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes: simmer for 15-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (remove cabbage after 10 minutes).

I like to scrape away some of the excess fat from the top of the corned beef - that allows me to see what direction the grain of the meat runs.  Cut slices across the grain.

Try not to drool.

Mmmmm.... it's soooooooo incredibly good! 

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• Instacure #1 https://amzn.to/431XHjo

  or

• Prague Powder #1 https://amzn.to/431XHjo

• 13.25-quart enameled cast iron dutch oven https://amzn.to/46irt6l

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DIY Corned Beef

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Brine:

• 4 quarts water

• 3/4 cup table salt

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons pink preserving salt #1 (see notes below)

• 4 bay leaves

• 3 whole peeled garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

• 5 whole allspice berries

 Additional Ingredients (the day of cooking):

• 4 pound flat cut beef brisket, fat trimmed to 1/4-inch

• 2 quarts water

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 whole peeled cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• brined corned beef

• 1 head cabbage, cut into wedges

• 1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

1. Brine (6-8 days before cooking): In a 12-quart or larger non-reactive container (see notes), whisk the table salt, brown sugar, and curing salt until dissolved; add bay leaves, whole garlic cloves, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and allspice berries.

2. Place trimmed beef brisket into brine, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 days and a maximum of 8 days (brisket should stay completely submerged - use a dinner plate to weigh it down if necessary).

3. Remove brisket from brine; discard brine.

4. Preheat oven to 250F.

5. In a 8-quart or larger stockpot over medium-high heat, combine 2 quarts water, bay leaves, whole garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and the brined brisket until it reaches the boiling point.

6. Turn off heat, cover, and place in preheated oven for 3 hours.

7. Remove stockpot from oven and return to stovetop; transfer corned beef to a platter and drizzle some of the cooking liquid over to keep it from drying out.

8. Add cabbage, carrots, and potatoes to the stockpot and bring to a simmer for 15-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (remove the cabbage after 10 minutes).

9. Slice beef across the grain and serve with the cooked vegetables.

Notes

• Pink curing should not be confused with pickling salt, pink himalayan salt, or pink Peruvian salt (look for Instacure #1 or Prague powder #1). It should contain a mixture of sodium chloride and sodium nitrite.

• The difference between curing salt #1 and #2? Basically, curing salt #1 is used to preserve things that will be cooked (corned beef, sausage, bacon, etc). Curing salt #2 is used to preserve things that will be air dried (salami, pepperoni, jerky, etc).

• A non-reactive container is one made of glass, food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or ceramic. Avoid aluminum, uncoated cast iron, carbon steel, or unlined copper.

adapted from America's Test Kitchen