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Cannoli

post #1 of 15
6/15/01 at 7:48pm
Thread Starter 
Hi All: Spent all day yesterday making cannoli shells and filling for the first time. Served them to my family (non-Italian). Got a so-so reaction and am now wondering if they are an acquired taste. They didn't get the "thumbs-up" that I was expecting. Any input would be appreciated.
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post #2 of 15
6/16/01 at 5:02am
A good cannoli has a crunchy shell, and a filling that's not too sweet, in my opinion. Most bakers load the filling with sugar, which I can't stomach at all. How did you make yours? What did you like/dislike about them?
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post #3 of 15
6/18/01 at 7:00am
I had the BEST cannoli the other day...we got if from a small Italian bakery. I'm truely jealous and now I must figure out their filling. Perfect light homemade shells, not filled before you place your order. They keep them laying out with-out plastic wrap and they seem to hold them for several days because when we visited them it was just before closing and they had tons at hand.

Anyway I have to figure out their filling. I always drain my ricotta over night then add xxxsugar, orange rind and mini choc. chips. This is a heavy filling and not like theirs at all!

Theirs was light almost like whipped cream. Can you whip ricotta to that texture (I've never tryed)? It definately didn't have whipped cream folded in because the filling held for hours with-out the cream sweating out water (they also didn't have any fruit in it and not alot of chocolate either). I even pondered if they were using ricotta at all, it was rather smooth.

Any ideas? Are you making heavy ricotta fillings or are yours light like cream?
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post #4 of 15
6/18/01 at 7:30am
I think it can be more of an acquired taste when it's the heavier filling. I don't much like the heavy filling either and sometimes it's too tart. The one described by W.DeBord sounds like a perfect cannoli to me.
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post #5 of 15
6/18/01 at 7:37am
Wendy,

Could they have been using mascarpone instead of ricotta?

Nah, just a thought! Disregard please...

:eek:

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: pooh ]
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post #6 of 15
6/18/01 at 7:49am
Here's one from Nestle's Cookbook

1 c. Nestle Toll house milk chocolate chips
1 - 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 - 3 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. chopped citron
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 prepared 5" cannoli shells
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts, or
other nuts

Melt the chips over hot water (or use microwave). Stir until smooth. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. In large bowl, beat ricotta cheese until smooth. Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, citron and vanilla extract; beat well. Blend in melted morsels.

Spoon into canolli shells or pipe in using pastry bag. Dip ends in nuts. Chill until
ready to serve.


or go right HERE for an authentic recipe from Palermo.

I will quote the following for Wendy:


and

:p

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]
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post #7 of 15
6/18/01 at 8:30am
Here's Chocolate Cannoli from Godiva



;)
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post #8 of 15
6/20/01 at 3:50am
Yes, I have that recipe from godiva sitting in my recipe file waiting to be tried....

Cream cheese is definatly a possiblity...

I have a question though, what about those fake whip creams some bakeries use? I can't say I really even know what they taste like or how it comes (I think I remember but is it like coolwhip thin or is it thicker?) or is it like dream whip packets you can buy near the jello... What's it's texture and how do they buy this fake stuff?

I'm thinking cream cheese and non-dairy whip cream to lighten? Could that be? I know that sort of sounds gross.... but I think that would be the right light texture that held so well. Any thoughts?
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post #9 of 15
6/20/01 at 8:20am
I would stick with "real" food!

Do you need MORE chemicals in your body!!!

:confused:
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post #10 of 15
6/20/01 at 6:11pm
take 1# ricotta and dry on cheese cloth for an hour.
add 1/2 cup of powder sugar, see if you want more sweet, add another half cup until you are happy with the sweetness.
whip to soften.


fold in 1 cup whipped 40% heavy cream

1 or 2 drops cinnamon oil (key to the flavor)
pinch or two salt

add to taste:
chopped pistachio
mini chocolate chips
candied peel, fine chop

yum
i may have to make some this week...
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post #11 of 15
6/21/01 at 6:47am
Soar Berkeley adn foodtv both have several varients on the recipe.
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post #12 of 15
6/21/01 at 8:05am
I think the problem comes when refined sugar is added to something as dense as ricotta. Where I work, we ran cannolis as a special, where the filling was fresh cherry (purely sweetened by juices). It was sweet, but not too sweet. If its too sweet the texture feels wrong in my mouth, almost like stale cotton candy or something.

Cannoli(s?) are not my favorite dessert, but I have tried more than one and found natural sweetness to be a better pairing.

Yep.

~~Shimmer~~
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post #13 of 15
6/22/01 at 8:38pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the great cannoli information. I made two fillings: one was by Emeril Lagasse using cream, ricotta, sugar, nut-flavored liqueur, chopped candied fruit then dipped into chocolate and chopped pistachios. The other filling was ricotta, sugar, candied citron and orange peel (diced finely), pistachios, semi-sweet chocolate finely diced. We all preferred the second filling. I guess we just didn't know what to expect for this "taste-experience" but it wasn't what I expected at all. Shells in a ziploc and filling in the fridge which is unheard of in this house. That said it all. Maybe you just have to experience these tastes growing up to appreciate them. Thanks again for all the input, you never know.....I may get a request for them again.
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post #14 of 15
7/6/01 at 8:27pm
Well I finally played with my ricotta filling....I never ever whipped ricotta before and to my supprise it turns out great that way and holds too. No more draining, doesn't need any whip cream, cream cheese etc...I could taste them and it wasen't right...

perfect filling for my tastes:

ricotta
xxxsugar
splash of vanilla (adding vanilla lets you cut back on the sugar)
pinch of grated orange rind

whipped until it's very very light (10 min. or more)

fold in mini choc. chips, fill shells, dip ends in pistchios and xxx over the top.
Yum!
:D
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post #15 of 15
7/7/01 at 1:14am
Thread Starter 
Hi WDebord: How creative of you! Thanks for posting your recipe, it sounds great and I am going to give it a try. Very creative!
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