Sicilian Cannoli with Ricotta Filling
Cannoli are fried and crispy Sicilian dough tubes filled with sweetened strained ricotta. The golden rule is that the filling must be added right at serving time — the ricotta is moist and the shell loses its crunch within an hour if filled early.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Calories
- 290
Photo: Stefano Mortellaro from Catania, Italy — CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Cannoli are the ultimate symbol of Sicilian sweets, and their shell is made with a dough containing vinegar or white wine to keep it thin and crispy while forming distinctive bubbles. Its real secret lies in the timing.
Method
-
1
Straining the Ricotta
Place the ricotta in cheesecloth or a fine strainer over a cup in the fridge overnight. Store-bought ricotta contains a lot of water, and runny filling will wet the shell in minutes. This step is not optional at all.
-
2
The Dough
Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, then rub the cold butter into them. Add the egg, vinegar, and water, and knead for 8 minutes until smooth and slightly firm. Wrap it and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
-
3
Why Vinegar
Vinegar weakens the gluten so the dough rolls out thinner without shrinking, and it helps create the distinct small bubbles on the surface of the shell during frying.
-
4
Thin Rolling
Roll out the dough using a pasta machine or rolling pin to a thickness of 1-2 mm — you must be able to almost see your hand through it. Cut into 10 cm circles or ovals.
-
5
Wrapping on Molds
Wrap each circle around a metal cannoli mold (or a wrapped aluminum foil tube), seal the two ends with a little egg white and press. Gluing is necessary so the shell doesn't open in the oil.
-
6
Frying
Heat the oil to 175 °C and fry 3-4 molds at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbles appear. Take them out and let them cool for 2 minutes, then carefully pull out the metal mold with a towel.
-
7
The Filling
Whip the strained ricotta with the powdered sugar and orange zest until smooth, and fold in the chopped chocolate. Put it in a piping bag and store it in the fridge until serving.
-
8
Assembly at Serving Time
Fill the shell from both ends halfway, dip the ends in crushed pistachios, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve it at the exact moment — filled cannoli lose their crunch within an hour.
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Tips that actually matter
- Strain the ricotta overnight — the most important step in the recipe.
- Roll the dough so thin that you can see your hand through it.
- The vinegar in the dough gives it the signature bubbles and thinness.
- Fill right at serving time, not before.
- Empty shells keep for a week in an airtight container.
People also ask
Why do cannoli get soggy quickly?
Because they were filled early. Ricotta is moist, and the moisture transfers to the shell. Fill them right at serving time, strain the ricotta overnight, and you can also brush the inside of the shell with melted chocolate as a barrier layer.
Can I make it without cannoli molds?
Yes — wrap aluminum foil into a 2.5 cm diameter cylinder and grease it with oil. Or make the recipe as "deconstructed cannoli" in cups: crushed shells with filling in layers, which is popular in restaurants.
What is a substitute for ricotta?
Strained and blended cottage cheese until smooth, or mascarpone (though richer and sweeter). Authentic Sicilian ricotta is made from sheep's milk and has a unique flavor, but available cow's milk ricotta works perfectly.
Can I bake the shells instead of frying?
You can bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes while brushing with oil, but the crunch and bubbles won't be like frying. Baked cannoli taste closer to cookies while fried ones are lighter and airier.
Cook mode
Sicilian Cannoli with Ricotta Filling
-
1
Straining the Ricotta
Place the ricotta in cheesecloth or a fine strainer over a cup in the fridge overnight. Store-bought ricotta contains a lot of water, and runny filling will wet the shell in minutes. This step is not optional at all.
-
2
The Dough
Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, then rub the cold butter into them. Add the egg, vinegar, and water, and knead for 8 minutes until smooth and slightly firm. Wrap it and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
-
3
Why Vinegar
Vinegar weakens the gluten so the dough rolls out thinner without shrinking, and it helps create the distinct small bubbles on the surface of the shell during frying.
-
4
Thin Rolling
Roll out the dough using a pasta machine or rolling pin to a thickness of 1-2 mm — you must be able to almost see your hand through it. Cut into 10 cm circles or ovals.
-
5
Wrapping on Molds
Wrap each circle around a metal cannoli mold (or a wrapped aluminum foil tube), seal the two ends with a little egg white and press. Gluing is necessary so the shell doesn't open in the oil.
-
6
Frying
Heat the oil to 175 °C and fry 3-4 molds at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbles appear. Take them out and let them cool for 2 minutes, then carefully pull out the metal mold with a towel.
-
7
The Filling
Whip the strained ricotta with the powdered sugar and orange zest until smooth, and fold in the chopped chocolate. Put it in a piping bag and store it in the fridge until serving.
-
8
Assembly at Serving Time
Fill the shell from both ends halfway, dip the ends in crushed pistachios, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve it at the exact moment — filled cannoli lose their crunch within an hour.
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