Cheese Please—Cannoli With Ricotta

Originating in Sicily, Italy, cannoli provides a delicious use for that ricotta cheese you bought on a whim and now need to use. Although these pastries may require a bit more time and effort than other desserts, the end result is well worth it.

Photographed and styled by Carla Witt Ford

Cannoli with Ricotta

Originating in Sicily, Italy, cannoli provides a delicious use for that ricotta cheese you bought on a whim and now need to use. Although these pastries may require a bit more time and effort than other desserts, the end result is well worth it.

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Ingredients

  

Shells

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Filling

• 2 lbs. ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest optional
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini chips
• confectioner’s sugar for dusting cannoli
• chocolate syrup for drizzling optional
• mini chocolate chips or pistachios crushed for dipping, optional

Instructions

 

Preparing The Shells

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Lightly grease two baking sheets with baking spray; set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, thoroughly whisk together egg whites, sugar, oil, butter, and vanilla until combined.
• Add flour and continue to whisk until smooth.
• Spoon 4 to 5 mounds of batter onto each baking sheet. Use 2 teaspoons of batter for each mound.
• Use the back of the spoon to spread each cookie into a 4-inch wide circle.
• Space cookies at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7-8 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
• Using a thin spatula, loosen cookies from baking shape into tubes. Use a thick-handled wooden spoon or cannoli tube to wrap dough around. Overlap ends and press gently. Caution: cookies will be hot.
• Set cookies seam-side down to cool.

Preparing The Filling

• In a medium-size bowl, whip ricotta with hand mixer until smooth and light. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest. Fold in chocolate. After filling shells with pastry bag, dip ends of cannoli into crushed pistachios. Fill only just before ready to serve. Drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.
• Dust finished cannoli with confectioner’s sugar. Serve immediately.

Recipe originally published in the Fall 2016 issue.

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