Making Cannolis: Deep Fryer Alternatives For The Home Chef

Making cannolis without a deep fryer is a fun and delicious endeavour. The process involves making a crisp pastry shell and a creamy ricotta filling. While it can be a little time-consuming, the results are well worth the effort. The key to success is to roll the dough thinly and ensure the ricotta is well-drained. This will result in a flaky, crisp shell and a rich, creamy filling.

Make the filling

The filling is the easiest part of the cannoli-making process. You can make the filling while the dough rests. You can also make the filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to five days.

To make the filling, you will need:

• 3 cups of ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest (or orange zest)
• 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional)

You can also add a range of other ingredients to the filling, including:

• Mascarpone
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• Maraschino cherries
• Chopped pistachios
• Mini chocolate chips
• White chocolate chips
• Heavy cream
• Whipped cream
• Chopped fruit
• Nuts
• Candied fruit
• Mousse
• Pastry cream
• Pudding
• Frosting

To make the filling:

• In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and sugar until well combined.
• Fold in the chocolate and lemon zest.
• Transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe into the cannoli shells.
• Dust with additional confectioners' sugar, if desired.

If your ricotta cheese is runny, you will need to strain it before making the filling. Here's how:

• Place the ricotta cheese in a sieve over a bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Remove the ricotta from the fridge and push it through the sieve using a spatula.
• Add the sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go, until you reach your desired level of sweetness.
• Fold in the chocolate chips.

Prepare the ingredients

The ingredients you will need for this classic cannoli recipe are:

For the shells:

• All-purpose flour
• White sugar, granulated sugar, or light brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Shortening, unsalted butter, or salted butter
• Marsala wine, dry white wine, or water
• Distilled white vinegar (optional)
• One whole egg, one egg yolk, and one egg white
• Vegetable oil, refined coconut oil, peanut oil, or any other frying oil for frying

For the filling:

• Ricotta cheese (preferably whole milk ricotta)
• Confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar
• Chopped semisweet or dark chocolate (optional)
• Lemon zest, orange zest, or lime zest

You will also need additional ingredients such as chocolate chips, pistachios, maraschino cherries, or candied citron for garnish (optional).

To prepare the ingredients for the cannoli shells and filling, follow these steps:

• Measure and gather all the ingredients as listed above.
• If using homemade ricotta cheese, prepare it in advance and drain it for at least an hour or overnight to remove excess moisture. This will ensure that the filling is not too runny and prevent the shells from becoming soggy.
• For the shells, you will need to mix and knead the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon) with the shortening or butter until you get a crumbly texture.
• Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add the liquid ingredients: Marsala wine, water, vinegar (if using), and eggs. Mix until a stiff dough forms. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid or flour slightly to achieve the right consistency.
• For the filling, simply mix the ricotta cheese with the confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar until well combined.
• If desired, you can add additional ingredients to the filling, such as chopped chocolate, zests, or other flavourings like cinnamon or vanilla extract.
• Once the shell dough is prepared, cover it with plastic wrap or place it in an oiled bowl, and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours to allow it to rest and relax, making it easier to roll out later.
• If you are not using the filling immediately, store it in the refrigerator until needed.

Mix the dough

To make the dough for cannoli shells, you will need the following ingredients:

• Flour (all-purpose)
• Sugar (granulated or light brown)
• Salt
• Butter (unsalted)
• Eggs
• Marsala wine or vinegar and water/white grape juice

Some recipes also include:

• Cocoa powder
• Cinnamon
• Shortening
• Vegetable oil

To mix the dough, follow these steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. You can also do this in a food processor.
• Cut in the butter or shortening until the mixture is crumbly. You can use a pastry cutter, your hands, a fork, two knives, or a food processor.
• Add the wine, vinegar, water, or juice, and one beaten egg and mix until the dough comes together. You can do this with a wooden spoon or in a food processor.
• Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour or until cold.

Once your dough is chilled, you can roll it out and cut it into circles to wrap around your cannoli tubes.

Form the shells

Now that you have your dough ready, it's time to form the shells. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Roll out the dough: Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. You want the dough to be nice and thin, about 1/4-inch thick or even thinner if you can manage it without the dough falling apart.
• Cut out the dough: Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out circles in the dough. A 4-inch size is standard, but you can go smaller or larger if you prefer.
• Wrap the dough around the cannoli tube: Take one of your metal cannoli tubes and wrap a dough round around it. You can seal the overlapping dough edge by brushing a little beaten egg on it.
• Heat the oil: Fill a large heavy pot or Dutch oven with a few inches of vegetable oil or another neutral oil with a high smoke point. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350-375°F (180-190°C).
• Fry the shells: Carefully place the dough-wrapped molds into the hot oil using tongs or a metal strainer. Fry for about 2-3 minutes, turning them over as needed, until they are golden brown. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Remove the shells from the oil: Use tongs or a metal strainer to remove the fried shells from the oil and place them on paper towels to cool.
• Remove the molds: Once the shells are cool, it's time to remove the metal cannoli tubes. Gently squeeze the molds and twist them slightly to release the shells. Be careful, as the shells can break easily.
• Cool the shells: Allow the shells to cool completely before filling them. You can store the unfilled shells in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Fry the shells

Frying the shells is the most important part of making cannolis. The shells are what give the dessert its signature crispiness. Here's how to fry the shells without a deep fryer:

• Use a Dutch oven or a large, heavy pot to heat about 2 quarts of vegetable or peanut oil—our two favorite options for frying—to 350°F (180°C). You can also use refined coconut oil, vegetable shortening, lard, or palm oil.
• While the oil is heating, prepare the cannoli dough by mixing the dry ingredients in a food processor. Then, add in the marsala wine and egg and pulse until combined. You can also do this by hand if you don't have a food processor.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a floured surface until it's very thin—about 1/16-inch thick. You can use a pasta roller or a rolling pin for this step.
• Cut the dough into 3 1/2- to 5-inch rounds using a cookie cutter or the largest circle cutter in your set.
• Dust the circles with flour, which will help when removing the shells from the tubes later.
• Wrap the dough around the cannoli tubes, sealing the edge with a bit of egg white.
• Carefully lower the prepared cannoli forms into the hot oil and fry until the dough is golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Fry in batches of 3 to 6 at a time, depending on the size of your pot.
• Remove the shells from the oil using metal tongs and place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool.
• Once the shells are cool enough to handle, carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. You can use a tea towel to get a better grip.
• Wash or wipe off the tubes before reusing them to make more shells.
• Cooled shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.

By frying the shells in a solid fat like refined coconut oil, you'll achieve the signature crispy texture of cannoli shells. The solid fat will absorb into the dough during frying and then revert to its solid state once cool, resulting in a light and crisp shell.

Frequently asked questions