5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Cannoli

Made with a crunchy shell filled with creamy chocolate ricotta filling, chocolate cannoli are one of the best Sicilian desserts!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Resting time:1

Total Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 12

Calories: 357kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

For the cannoli filling:

600 g fresh ricotta cheese, approx 2 cups + ½ cup
200 g dark chocolate, approx 1 cup
120 g powdered sugar, approx 1 cup
2 tablespoon pistachio, finely chopped

For the cannoli shells

240 g all-purpose flour or flour 00, approx 1 cups + ½ cup
2 tablespoon sugar
a pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
40 g cold butter, cut into cubes, approx 3 tablespoons
60 ml Marsala wine, approx ¼ cup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 large egg yolks, approx 43g/1.5oz in total
1 egg white, for brushing
1 liter sunflower oil, approx 4 ½ cups, for frying

Instructions

For the cannoli filling:

Start by draining your ricotta. Place the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer and set it over a larger bowl. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave at 30-second intervals, until it's completely melted. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly.
Place the ricotta in a large bowl and whisk with a hand mixer for 10-20 seconds, until creamy and fluffy. Whisk in the powdered sugar, then slowly incorporate the dark chocolate, until fully combined.
Prepare a piping bag or a small plastic bag with a cut corner and fill it with the ricotta filling. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

For the cannoli shells:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Incorporate the butter into the flour mixture using your hands until the mixture reaches a sandy texture.
Add Marsala wine, vinegar and egg yolks, mixing until a dough comes together. Give the dough a few kneads in the bowl, it will feel very dry at the beginning, the more you knead it the more it smoothens. Flatten the dough into a circular shape, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Divide the dough into pieces, and roll each piece as thin as possible, using a pasta machine if available. Cut out circles approximately 10cm/4-inch in diameter. Wrap each circle around a cannoli tube, brushing the edges with egg white to seal them.
Pour the vegetable oil into a deep saucepan until it's about one-third full and heat the oil to 360℉/180℃, use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature.
Fry the cannoli individually, by placing them on a slotted spoon and submerging them into the oil. Fry for about a minute, or until golden-brown, then remove from the oil and place on kitchen paper to absorb the oil in excess. Let the cannoli shells cool completely then carefully remove the cannoli tubes.
Pipe the cannoli filling into each cannoli shell, then garnish with chopped pistachio, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Notes

Please note that all my baking recipes are tested with grams measurements, which are more accurate than cup measurements. US cup amounts are provided, but for best results please always use a scale when measuring ingredients.

Storage tips:

Once you fill them, cannoli are best eaten straight away.

The ricotta filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

The cannoli shells can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days, in an airtight container covered with a paper towel.

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Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.