Cannoli

Tags: #Italian #Pastry #Sicilian #FriedDessert #Ricotta Serving: 12 pieces Total time: 13 hours

Crisp, blistered Sicilian pastry shells filled with sweet, citrus-scented ricotta cream.

Ingredients

Shells

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 30 g granulated sugar
• 2 g fine sea salt
• 5 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• 30 g lard
• 60 ml dry Marsala wine
• 15 ml white wine vinegar
• 18 g egg yolk
• 30 g egg white
• 1500 ml neutral frying oil

Filling

• 500 g whole-milk ricotta, well-drained
• 120 g powdered sugar, sifted
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• 5 g finely grated orange zest
• 80 g mini dark chocolate chips
• 60 g candied orange peel, finely diced

Finishing

• 80 g pistachios, finely chopped
• 50 g powdered sugar

Steps

1. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth.
2. Spoon ricotta into the lined sieve.
3. Refrigerate the ricotta for 8 to 12 hours to drain.
4. Discard any collected whey.
5. Sift flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
6. Whisk in sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
7. Rub lard into the flour mixture with fingertips until sandy.
8. Whisk together Marsala, vinegar, and egg yolk in a small bowl.
9. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture.
10. Mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
11. Knead the dough on a counter for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
12. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap.
13. Rest the dough at room temperature for 60 minutes.
14. Divide the dough into two equal pieces.
15. Lightly flour the work surface.
16. Roll the first piece to 1 mm thickness.
17. Cut 6 ovals measuring about 10 cm by 12 cm.
18. Stack the ovals between sheets of parchment.
19. Roll the second piece to 1 mm thickness.
20. Cut 6 more ovals and stack them between parchment.
21. Pour the frying oil into a deep, wide pot.
22. Heat the oil to 180°C.
23. Wrap one dough oval around a metal cannoli tube.