LEAVE THE GUN, TAKE THE CANNOLI

Who doesn’t love this line from The Godfather? Classic. Who doesn’t love a good cannoli? Hmm, I’m not 100% on that one. Yet.

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

As I typed the title to this entry, one thought swam through my brain.  How many others are going to use the above title or ‘Holy Cannoli’? OK, that’s not really relevant here; what’s relevant is, I am the host of this month’s Daring Bakers Challenge! (insert dancing bear).

When Lis asked me last April if I wanted to host, it took me about half a nano-second to shriek “Hell Yeah!” I had so many ideas and so many visions of super daring, albeit amazing, cakes, cookies, breads, etc.  SO, what did I end up choosing? Something not baked, although it can be.

I was excited, thinking “WOW, this is perfect, how many people have actually made cannoli from scratch, shells and all?”

Yep, this could be the epitome of the word daring, especially for those who were not interested in making cannoli from scratch, but did so anyway, and are now cannoli pros, not to mention connoisseurs.  Some who participated never liked cannoli, but are now card-holding cannoli converts.  I love that this challenge broadened the cannoli landscape for some!

Cannoli forms. How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!              Commercial cannoli forms (tubes) in various sizes

The night before I posted my challenge at the Daring Kitchen, I suddenly had doubts..

This isn’t baking.  Plus, a lot of people detest deep-frying anything.

Shoot, some have never even heard of cannoli!

Well, after all the research and testing I did with different recipes, and time spent carefully writing out every detail of this challenge, I knew I had no choice since there was not enough time to bake something new and write out another detailed challenge post.  Naturally, there was a lot of trepidation by many at first because cannoli isn’t one of those desserts that most flip over, and as mentioned above, many hate, hate, hate deep-frying.

Now I’m glad I chose cannoli as the Novemeber Daring Bakers challenge because what I’ve seen from these Daring Bakers, diving in head first..even finding ways to make cannoli forms (traditional and unique) if they didn’t want to purchase or couldn’t find them, has completely blown me away.

I am so proud to be part of a group loaded with such talented and creative people!

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

Growing up, one of my fondest memories was going to Chinatown with my parents and their friends and kids about once a month, usually to one of the hidden Hunan Houses, which were simple, unadorned doors down a few steps off the street that not many knew about.  We would gorge for hours, ordering course after course after course; some of the best Chinese food I had ever had. I remember having some of the best Szechwan chicken (Sichuan Chicken) at some of these places!

For dessert, it was always over to Little Italy, a short walk away.  Cannoli was at the top of our dessert list, and when creating this challenge, I was trying to get as close to some of that cannoli as I could, especially the ones from Ferrara’s.  This is why I ended up with a combo of two recipes, with a few personal tweaks.

Let’s just say, for two weeks, all I did was fry cannoli shells.

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!           Blistering makes for a light and crispy shell.  The telltale sign of a good cannoli.

Before I continue, lookie lookie! I have my own blog checking lines for the big brother bot!  The thing is, do I need to post one since this is MY challenge?  Should I change ‘Lisa’ to ‘ME’, and Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives to ‘HERE’ or third person speak (which I hate)? I suppose I’ll just post it as if it was someone’s else’s challenge, since I don’t need the bot skipping over this post due to the words not being exactly as written.

Pumpkin Cheese Cannoli! How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa (me) of (what my blog used to be called) Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

Guess what? If you click the link, you end up HERE, over and over!  I won’t let you leave my humble abode!

Pumpkin Cheese Cannoli! How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

Pumpkin cheese filled cannoli dipped in caramel and pecans, and wrapped with spun sugar; the shell dough rolled around the form using square, rather than circular or oval, cut-outs.

All kidding aside, as mentioned above, I was astounded by all the Macguyvers in this challenge.  Since traditonal cannoli forms are not something most have lying around their kitchen, they would have to purchase them or make their own cannoli forms.  It was amazing what some came up with, from the super traditional Sicilian forms, which is sawing a broomstick, dowel or cane into 6 to 8 inch lengths, then sanding them down and oiling them!

Would you believe a bunch of Daring Bakers actually did this?

Now if that isn’t the true spirit of a Daring Baker, I don’t what is.  Other forms used were oiled cannelloni or manicotti pasta tubes, aluminum foil pans cut and rolled, wooden spoons, butter knives, a tinfoil contraption by an engineer (John), tomato paste cans, a frozen ball of butter for cannoli bowls, copper pipes, a sawed up wooden hanger, the handle of a swimming pool skimmer, a can opener..AND the list goes on! Are the Daring Bakers not some of the most creative and crafty people around?How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is! Stacked cannoli aka Cannolipoleons, with mini chocolate chip – orange mascarpone filling and raspberries.

On that note, I also gave the DB’ers a choice of simply cutting out shapes similar to a rolled cookie dough, frying them, and stacking them like Napoleons aka Cannolipoleons, with the filling of their choice.  What amazed me was, most chose to make the traditional tube shaped cannoli, whether or not they had metal cannoli tubes, hence all the creative materials used.  Some even managed to make cannoli bowls and ice cream cones!  I’ll say it again – I’m truly in awe of my fellow Daring Bakers.

When choosing this challenge, I had to take into consideration that the month of November was going to be a tough time for many Daring Bakers in the USA due to Thanksgiving preparation.  This is another reason why I chose cannoli over some more challenging ideas..such as a layered dacqouise and sponge cake with a deep caramelized sugar-coffee (or any flavor one wanted to use) syrup, called a Cardinal Slice, or another amazing Italian pastry called Sfogiatelle (Isn’t it beautiful? But, it’s very, very involved),

Since many would be focusing on their Thanksgiving meals, daring, but not too involved, was what I aimed for.  I offered up a pumpkin cheese cannoli filling recipe for those who wanted to add cannoli to their Thanksgiving dessert table, although any cannoli and filling would make a wonderful Thanksgiving dessert or even savory addition to the meal. Some took that savory route..from bacon and egg, to Mexican, to even turkey and vegemite!  You really must check out the Daring Bakers Blogroll for this challenge, because cannoli has been taken to so many different shapes, fillings and levels, it’s utterly mind-blowing

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

I gave the traditional ricotta filling a whir in the food processor, which resulted in an uber creamy filling..not conducive to a pretty piping, but silky smooth on the palate.

For those of you out there who are not members of the Daring Bakers, I’m going to post the challenge as I did at the Daring Kitchen, verbatim.  Who knows, you just may want to take a daring stab at these rich, lovely Italian pastries.  Enjoy!

Sorry all, we’re not baking this month (this line fooled some, which was the initial intention, I just hope nobody avoided opening the entry to read the rest! lol), so put away your baking pans and get out the deep fry thermometer and oil!

Hi everyone, thanks for baking, err, deep frying with me this month! We’re making Cannoli! This is/was my first time making cannoli from scratch, but it’s well worth it, and a great new experience/dessert to add to your culinary repertoire. I hope you all enjoy this challenge, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s take on this sweet (or savory, if desired) Italian favorite.

Cannoli are known as Italian-American pastries, although the origin of cannoli dates back to Sicily, specifically Palermo, where it was prepared during Carnevale season, and according to lore, as a symbol of fertility. The cannoli is a fried, tube-shaped pastry shell (usually containing wine) filled with a creamy amalgamation of sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate, candied fruit or zest, and sometimes nuts.

Although not traditional, mascarpone cheese is also widely used, and in fact, makes for an even creamier filling when substituted for part of the ricotta, or by itself. However, cannoli can also be filled with pastry creams, mousses, whipped cream, ice cream etc. You could also add your choice of herbs, zests or spices to the dough, if desired. Marsala is the traditional wine used in cannoli dough, but any red or white wine will work fine since it’s not only added for flavor or color, but to relax the gluten in the dough since it can be a very stiff dough to work with. By the way, the name ‘Lidisano’ is a combination of Lidia, Lisa and Sopranos, even though my contribution was far less than the other two.

How to Make Cannoli from Scratch

Posting Date – November 27, 2009

Equipment:
Cannoli forms/tubes – optional, but recommended if making traditional shaped cannoli. Dried cannelloni pasta tubes work just as well!
Deep, heavy saucepan, enough to hold at least 2-3-inches of oil or deep fryer
Deep fat frying thermometer. although the bread cube or bit of dough test will work fine.
Metal tongs
Brass or wire skimmer OR large slotted spoon
Pastry bag with large star or plain tip, but a snipped ziplock bag, butter knife or teaspoon will work fine.
Cooling rack
Paper bags or paper towels
Pastry Brush
Cheesecloth
Sieve or fine wire mesh strainer
Electric Mixer, stand or hand, optional, as mixing the filling with a spoon is fine.
Food Processor or Stand Mixer – also optional, since you can make the dough by hand, although it takes more time.
Rolling pin and/or Pasta roller/machine
Pastry or cutting board
Round cutters – The dough can also be cut into squares and rolled around the cannoli tube prior to frying. If making a stacked cannoli, any shaped cutter is fine, as well as a sharp knife.
Mixing bowl and wooden spoon if mixing filling by hand
Plastic Wrap/Clingfilm
Tea towels or just cloth towels

Required: Must make cannoli dough and shells. If you don’t have or do not want to purchase cannoli forms, which I would never ask of any of you, you could simply cut out circles, squares, or any shapes you want and stack them with the filling of your choice to make stacked cannoli aka Cannolipoleons (directions below). If desired, you can channel MacGuyver and fashion something heat proof to get traditional shaped cannoli (6-8 inch sawed off lengths of a wooden broom stick or cane, sanded down and oiled, is THE authentic cannoli form!), or non-traditional shapes such as creating a foil form to make bowls, or even using cream horns if you happen to have them. Mini cannoli would be great too, and I’ve provided links to retailers of cannoli forms of all sizes.

Also, for those who don’t like to cook or bake with alcohol – grape juice, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, apple juice; any sweet juice of a fruit except citrus, especially ones used in or to make wine, can be substituted. Just add a little more vinegar to insure you get enough acid to relax the dough.

Variations: The filling is YOUR choice! Anything you want to fill them with is perfectly fine, sweet or savory, or you can use the filling recipe provided – making whatever changes you want to it. cannoli would make a great addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table/spread. In many Italian households, during the holidays, cannoli is always part of the dessert offerings. You could also make a Thanksgiving themed cannoli, like pumpkin cannoli (I came up with a great pumpkin cheese filling recipe, below) or apples, pecans, walnuts, and/or any dried fruits you like.

Some ideas to gussy up your cannoli would be dipping the rims of the shell in melted chocolate and rolling them in chopped nuts or sprinkles, then letting them set prior to filling, or dipping or pressing mini chocolate chips into the filled ends OR just stirring mini chocolate chips into the filling prior to stacking or filling whatever shaped shells you come up with. All of the above makes a great presentation! The sky is the limit here, so be creative! Naturally, if you have any dietary restrictions, by all means, go with it. I’ve provided a link to a gluten-free cannoli recipe and a slightly savory vegan cannoli recipe to help get you started.

Bonus option: Make your own ricotta and/or mascarpone cheese! https://parsleysagesweet.com/2009/05/04/eating-my-curds-and-ditching…
http://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/05/02/homemade-mascarpone-cheese/

Technically, I know, this is not baking, and if you prefer to steer clear of the deep fry, you can bake the shells. You won’t get the snappy, blistery texture and appearance that make cannoli so special, but I’m sure it’ll taste good nonetheless. Here’s a link for baked cannoli shells: http://italiannotes.com/oven-baked-cannoli-with-dried-fruit/

ALSO, regarding baked or non-fried cannoli, you can make a sort of mock cannoli with pizzelles or tuiles! Just roll either of them around something the size of a broomstick handle, or a large rounded wooden spoon handle, while they’re still warm; let them set, and fill as directed in the recipe.

Lidisano’s Cannoli
Makes approximately 22-24 4-inch cannoli
Prep time:
Dough – 2 hours and 10-20 minutes, including resting time, and depending on whether you do it by hand or machine.
Filling – 5-10 minutes plus chilling time (about 2 hours or more)
Frying – 1-2 minutes per cannoli
Assemble – 20–30 minutes

UPDATE:  I learned that the addition of a little freshly ground or instant coffee to the shell dough is traditional in Sicilian style cannoli and gives the shells more flavor.  I suppose you can add it along with the cocoa or in lieu of it. ALSO, and of utmost importance, the dough must be paper thin when rolled around the cannoli form, and the oil the right temperature, in order to get that snap, crackle, pop bubbled shell that breaks into light and lovely shards with each bite.  To get the dough paper thin, I’d recommend running it through a pasta machine a few times, dialing down with each roll.

UPDATE April, 2015 – Joanne left a comment saying she took a cooking class in Catania, Sicily and the chef was adamant about using Ever Clear 95% alcohol in lieu of the vinegar (1 teaspoon) and lard instead of oil (3 tablespoons). Apparently, the dough is easier to roll, and both of those changes give you really puffy and bubbly cannoli shells. More than worth a try!

UPDATE May, 2015 – After trying the most amazing, crispy, bubbly cannoli shells at an Italian Bakery on Staten Island, I was told the dough should not be too thin in order to get big bubbles and crispy, shattery shells.  I guess another test is in order

CANNOLI SHELLS
2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable shortening or lard or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar or Ever Clear 95% alcohol
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white, but not the yolk, although you can switch and use the yolk instead of the white for easier rolling, I’ve heard.)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners’ sugar

Note – If you want a chocolate cannoli dough, substitute a few tablespoons of the flour (about 25%) with a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process) and a little more wine until you have a workable dough (Thanks to Audax).

CANNOLI FILLING
2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract or the beans from one vanilla bean
3 tablespoons (approx. 28 grams/approx. 1 ounce) finely chopped good quality chocolate of your choice
2 tablespoons (12 grams/0.42 ounces) of finely chopped, candied orange peel, or the grated zest of one small to medium orange
3 tablespoons (23 grams/0.81 ounce) toasted, finely chopped pistachios

Note – If you want chocolate ricotta filling, add a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to the above recipe, and thin it out with a few drops of warm water if too thick to pipe.

DIRECTIONS FOR SHELLS:
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil (If using shortening or lard, cut it in with your fingers like you would a pie dough, then add the vinegar and wine), vinegar, egg yolk or egg white (whichever part of the egg you don’t add to the dough, will be used to seal the cannoli dough around the cannoli forms) and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.

2 Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16″ to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that, or use a pasta roller for a quicker route to paper thin dough). Cut out 3-inch to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small shells; 4-inch – medium shells; 5-inch;- large shells. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.

3 Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg yolk or egg white (whichever part of the egg you didn’t use in the dough, as mentioned above) on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg yolk or egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg yolk or egg white dry a little for a good seasl.

4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.

5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.

8. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.

9. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.

Pasta Machine method:
1. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through

2. Continue rolling out the remaining dough. If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.

3, Roll, cut out and fry the cannoli shells according to the directions above.

For Stacked Cannoli (Cannolipoleons):
1. Heat 2-inches of oil in a saucepan or deep sauté pan, to 350-375°F (176 – 190 °C).

2. Cut out desired shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Deep fry until golden brown and blistered on each side, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from oil with wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, then place on paper towels or bags until dry and grease free. If they balloon up in the hot oil, dock them lightly prior to frying. Place on cooling rack until ready to stack with filling.

DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:
1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

2. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl and stir in chocolate, zest and nuts. Chill until firm.(The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

ASSEMBLE THE CANNOLI:
1. When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.

2. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.

PUMPKIN CHEESE FILLING
1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup (77 grams/2.70 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
**1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells

1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).**

2. Fill the shells as directed above. I dipped the ends of the shells in caramelized sugar and rolled them in toasted, chopped pecans.

** For a smoother filling, place all ingredients in the food processor and run on high until creamy and uniform.

** If you don’t have or can’t find pumpkin pie spice..make your own.  Double recipe to fill a standard spice jar.
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 and 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
Mix all of the above together and store tightly covered in a cool, dry place

TIPS AND NOTES:
– Dough must be stiff and well-kneaded

– Rolling the dough to paper thinness, using either a rolling pin or pasta machine, is very important. If the dough is not rolled thin enough, it will not blister, and good cannoli should have a blistered surface.

– Initially, this dough is VERY stubborn, but keep rolling, covering, resting, rolling, covering, resting.. repeat, it eventually gives in. Before cutting the shapes, let the dough rest a bit, covered, as it tends to spring back into a smaller shapes once cut. Then again, you can also roll circles larger after they’re cut, and/or into ovals, which gives you more space for filling.

– Your basic set of round cutters usually doesn’t contain a 5-inch cutter. Try a plastic container top, bowl etc, or just roll each circle to 5 inches. There will always be something in your kitchen that’s round and 5-inches if you want large cannoli.

– Oil should be at least 3 inches deep and hot – 360°F-375°F, or you’ll end up with greasy shells. I prefer 350°F – 360°F because I felt the shells darkened too quickly at 375°F.

– If using the cannoli forms, when you drop the dough on the form into the oil, they tend to sink to the bottom, resulting in one side darkening more. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to gently lift and roll them while frying.

– DO NOT crowd the pan. Cannoli should be fried 2-4 at a time, depending on the width of your saucepan or deep fryer. Turn them once and lift them out gently with a slotted spoon/wire skimmer and tongs. Just use a wire strainer or slotted spoon for flat cannoli shapes.

– When the cannoli turns light brown – uniform in color, watch it closely or remove it. If it’s already a deep brown when you remove it, you might end up with a really dark or slightly burnt shell, which happened to a few of mine.

– Depending on how much scrap you have left after cutting out all of your cannoli shapes, you can either fry them up and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar for a crispy treat, or let the scraps rest under plastic wrap and a towel, then re-roll and cut more cannoli shapes.

– Push forms out of cannoli very gently, being careful not to break the shells as they are very delicate. DO NOT let the cannoli cool on the form, as you may never get it off without it breaking. Try to take it off while still hot. Hold it with a cloth in the center, and push the form out with a butter knife or the back of a spoon.

– When adding the confectioner’s sugar to the filling..TASTE. You may like it sweeter than what the recipe calls for, or less sweet, so add in increments.

– Fill cannoli right before serving! If you fill them a half hour or so prior, you’ll end up with soggy cannoli shells.

– If you want to prepare the shells ahead of time, store them in an airtight container, then (if needed) re-crisp in a 350°F (176 °C) oven for a few minutes, before filling.

– Practice makes perfect. My first batch of shells came out less than spectacular, and that’s an understatement. As you go along, you’ll see what will make them more aesthetically pleasing, and adjust accordingly when rolling. My next several batches turned out great. Don’t give up!!

Links:

Alternative:
Gluten free cannoli recipe that looks great –
http://evilcakelady.blogspot.com/2009/02/annmaries-gf-birthday-cannoli.h…
Vegan cannoli –
https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-desserts/cannoli-with-ancho-cream-cheese-vegan
http://community.livejournal.com/vegancooking/2307428.html#cutid1

Online resources:
http://www.pastrysampler.com/Questions_and_Answers/cannoli.htm
https://www.seriouseats.com/essential-equipment-for-making-cannoli-at-home

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cannoli&search_type=&aq=f – scroll through, loads of videos on the making of the shells. filling, etc. Mario Batali’s are particularly good.

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=cannoli&m=text – Loads of beautiful and unique cannoli photos along with the traditional. Great way to get some ideas for fillings and décor.

Online retailers for cannoli forms
http://www.fantes.com/cannoli.html#small
https://www.pastrychef.com/CANNOLI-TUBES_p_36-1202.html – If you want to buy a lot of them for one set price.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=…

Before I end this entry, remember where I said you can fill your cannoli shell with anything you want?  Well, Zorra from 1x umrühren bitte created a delicious wood filled cannoli that’ll knock your socks..err..teeth out!

The truth is, she used fig branches for cannoli forms, and couldn’t remove them after frying those beautiful shells.  She hates cannoli, but went above and beyond to take part in this challenge.  I absolutely LOVE this photo. and with her permission, had to post it.  I just want to hug her after reading her entry.  Go check it out, but again, those are some beautifully blistered shells so it’s too bad the fig branches didn’t want to budge!

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!Also, one other favorite photo that doesn’t need any explaining.  This brought a huge smile to my face! If this doesn’t scream “I did it!”, I don’t know what does!  Thank you Jenny from Purple House Dirt for letting me share your enthusiasm! Beautiful shells!

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

In the category of “Cannoli, Incognito” are Rita of Clumbsy Cookie who turned cannoli into fettuccine, ravioli and tortilla chips!  You have to go check out the rest of her photos! She’s one creative lady!

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

AND…

Simon of the heart of food blew me away with his lemon-mascarpone filled cannoli ‘eggs’ in a toffee nest.   He cut out very small circles of the dough, didn’t dock them so they would puff up in the oil, (reminding me of  pommes de terre souflees), then carefully used a teeny weeny tip to poke a hole and inject them with the cream.  I’m awed, seriously.

Cannoli Eggs in Nests! How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

Finally, the ‘Best Blisters’ award goes to Marcellina from Marcellina in Cucina.  WOW, what amazing shells!

How to make Cannoli from Scratch. You'd never believe how easy homemade cannoli is!

Thanks to all who participated in this challenge with me and a huge thanks to Lis and Ivonne for the hosting gig and their encouragement and patience.  Also, again to Ivonne for doing the metric conversions for me, since I’m metrically stunted and my scale sucks.

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162 Responses to LEAVE THE GUN, TAKE THE CANNOLI

  1. Wic says:

    thank you so much for this challenge. my house is filled with cannoli converts. the hubby (40) loves them, the twins (3 1/2) loves them and even I do. ( no I will not tell how old I am)
    This was great fun.
    By the way I think yours look stunning.

  2. Sophie says:

    Waw!! You are certainly the master in the cannoli challenge!!

    These look beautiful, Lisa-Michelle! I so love your pumpkin, ricotta & mascarpone filling: so rich & apart too!

    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,….all the way!! Just pure indulgence!!

  3. Anita says:

    Fantastic choice Lisa!!! I loved finally making cannoli from scratch. These worked really well and I loved your recipe for the filling, it worked perfectly.
    Thanks for hosting this month – I thoroughly enjoyed it!
    Cheers
    Anita

  4. Esther says:

    Yours look fabulous and thank you very much for such a wonderful challenge and for supplying a great gluten free version to try.. I had never heard of them before and now not only do I know what they are I have the pastry to make myself icecream cones I love !!

  5. Gala says:

    Thank you for a fun challenge! Would have never made these otherwise.

  6. trissalicious says:

    OMG Lisa – we were thinking the exact same thing – I used the same quote on my blog too! hehe… anyway, just wanted to drop you a line to say THANK YOU for a great challenge. Your instructions were perfect and so detailed. I will definitely keep this recipe to make again and again! Also, your cannoli is gorgeous!

  7. MandyM says:

    Lisa, this challenge was fantastic! Although I didn’t get the shells 100% right, they still tasted amazing and were fun to make. I’m going to give these another try soon.

    Thanks so much for a truly challenging challenge 🙂
    *hugs*

  8. MandyM says:

    P.S. I did use the “Holy Cannoli” comment on one of my photos, lol!
    *blush*

  9. liz2024 says:

    Yay for cannolis!!!! Great choice my friend. I loved making these in the kitchen on monday and tuesday. Can’t wait to finish them off tonight in my second round of thanksgiving dinner! So yeah I’m not in the running club yet either, got to watch my cousins do the turkey trot… next year I say LM, next year!! Happy thanksgiving my dear hope you had a great one.

  10. Aparna says:

    Thanks Lisa, for hosting such an unusual and different chllenge (for me at least).
    I had some fun with a variety of fillings which we all enjoyed. 🙂
    Your cannolis look lovely, specially the stacked one.

  11. Tartelette says:

    Love the pumpkin filled ones dipped in caramel. I can only imagine the contrast between the smooth filling and the super cruch of the shells. Bravo!

  12. Suzana says:

    Lisa, I love your cannoli stack. It looks so, so good! Thanks for the challenge – it was a great one. 🙂

  13. Lauren says:

    Fabulous challenge Lisa! I really enjoyed this challenge =D. Thanks so much for hosting!

  14. Anula says:

    Thank you for this month’s challenge! I love The Godfather and The Sopranos so it was a big fun for me this month 🙂 Your cannoli look great – very delicious! Cheers!

  15. Jenny says:

    This is a great post, Lisa, and a fabulous challenge! I had no idea what cannoli was before (had only heard about it on “Everybody loves Raymond”). It was so fun to do something completely new (even though our cannoli ended up being totally unconventional).
    Your challenge instructions were so clear and detailed. You’ve been a fab host – thank you!

  16. Kelly-Jane says:

    Great post, and great challenge, thank you 🙂

  17. gdfd says:

    Lisa…great challenge! Loved the experience and the results…shaking up the Daring “Bakers” was a fantastic idea. Now that I can make the Cannoli I’m even more amazing than I thought. 🙂 Thanks so much!

  18. Lori says:

    This was a great challenge. Such diversity. Those I think are the best challenges. You start with a simple concept and people do all their interpretations.

    I love all of your photos and cannolis. I loved the flavor of these shells.

  19. Dan says:

    I didn’t realize there could be so much variety in cannolis very delicious looking. The pumpkin cheese ones look incrediable. By the way maybe you can’t run butt naked around the block but I would like to volunteer to help you walk butt naked around the block lol. Anyway great job as always.

  20. Love that 1st picture those cannoli look perfect and a specail thanks for picking a deep frying challenge I knew you were a little wary at the start of the month about how the other DBers would respond to your recipe but it was clear that they LOVED this challenge and yes the amount of creative ideas for the forms was stunning. A marvellous post and as always goregous pictures and I especially like the stack of cannoli. I think this was the perfect challenge for this time of year. CHeers from Audax in Australia.

  21. BitterSweet says:

    It was a fantastic choice, and I’m happy to have made them! Thanks for inspiring us to push ourselves just a little bit more, and for giving us a real challenge. 🙂

  22. katie says:

    Thanks for choosing such a fun challenge. I’m so envious of your cannoli they are perfect! The fillings sound divine too. My cannoli didn’t behave themselves.

  23. elra says:

    It was a fun challenge Lisa. Thank you for choosing Cannoli and it was my first time made it. Will make it again for sure.

  24. Natalie says:

    Lisa, thank you so much for this challenge.. I enjoyed it immensely.
    These were my very first cannoli and I had a blast making them and writing about the experience. 😉

  25. Jill says:

    I’m so sad that I am missing the reveal date of this challenge–I’m sick as a dog right now and I was very busy with dessert orders for the holiday. Loved your post–the helpful information and all the time you spent in making this challenge so successful. I’ll post later when I’m feeling better and really enjoy making the cannoli–I just don’t want to rush through it. 🙂

  26. Suz says:

    This was such a fun challenge, thank you! It was my first cannoli experience and it certainly won’t be my last. 🙂 All your cannoli look so beautiful. I especially love the pumpkin ones.

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  28. Vera says:

    Lisa, thank you very much for a delicious challenge! You’ve done a fabulous job as a host! I LOVED the dough; from now on it’s my favorite cannoli recipe.

  29. Angelica says:

    Thanks Lisa

    Delicious challenge.. I did not have problems with the shells
    but my filling was a big disaster.

    I’m going to try and try =)

  30. pontch says:

    Thank you Lisa for delicious and such a great challenge.
    your cannoli looks amazing!

    🙂

  31. syrupandhoney says:

    Thanks for such a great challenge! I love that you gave us options depending on how busy we were, our personal preferences, and what was available in our area.

    Didn’t have time to make the mascarpone or ricotta before posting, but I do have ricotta straining right now! So excited!

  32. Valerie says:

    Lisa Michele, you made a great choice, this was such a fun challenge (and from what I’ve read on the blogroll, a lot of people had fun this month)! Thank you so much! I really learned a lot (even though I had A LOT of help this month), and they were delicious!

  33. Chez Us says:

    Great choice for our November challenge – It was something we could do together and we we loved it!

  34. isabelle says:

    merci beaucoup Lisa pour le choix de ce défi, c’était extra à faire, sans compter que c’est vraiment excellent 🙂
    Tes cannoli sont vraiment très beaux et les garnitures bien appétissantes 🙂

  35. vibi says:

    Thank you Lisa Michele for a great challenge this month… it was really cool to make, something very different is truly nice once in a while!

    I see why you picked cannoli! You are definately a master at making them! Brava!

  36. Definitely take the cannoli. I mean just look at those things! Beautifully made and photographed.

  37. Esi says:

    Lisa you are a fabulous hostess! I had so much fun with the challenge and deep frying is definitely a challenge, but the end result was soooo worth it. These were great!

  38. Wolf says:

    Oh, man, you picked a real winner with this one.}:P
    EVERYONE loved them, including me. Yeah, you made mew a convert.}:P

    And that Pumpkin Flan the next post down? Oh man…

  39. CHConrad says:

    Thanks for a great recipe and experience! You were a wonderful hostess supporting us along the way. Perfect challenge for this month.

  40. Sara says:

    I don’t even care much for cannoli, but these look so beautiful, I want them. The pumpkin one is gorgeous!

  41. Megan says:

    Lisa, you picked such a great challenge! I was excited from the start and absolutely loved every part of making these. I now own cannoli forms, so I know I’ll make them again at some point. The whole process went so smoothly due to your detailed instructions. Thank you so much!

    And your cannoli – wow! They’re gorgeous. I didn’t even think to use the extra orange zest to decorate them. I also love the cannoli stacks.

  42. Rosa says:

    Thanks for choosing this challenge! I had fun making my stacks…

    Great job!

    Cheers,

    Rods

  43. linda says:

    Hey Lisa, thank you thank you thank you for choosing such a great challenge for this month. I absolutely love cannoli but never had the courage to try it, with the recipe provided by you, I now know how simple it is. It was great that you were not picky with fillings and how we could present it, definitely tested by creativity. Once again thanks =D

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  45. Barbara says:

    I love that you were daring in choosing a challenge! Your crispy cannoli look delicious! Thanks for a fun challenge!

  46. Olive says:

    Hi Lisa! 🙂

    Thank you for choosing cannoli for the challenge, I would have never attempted to make this on my own..I love your dough recipe, I was able to roll it out thin and it did not stick to my counter..a first for me 🙂
    BTW, your cannoli looks awesome!

  47. Asha@FSK says:

    Lisa, thanks so much for choosing such a fun challenge!! Despite scurrying around to complete it, I had so much fun playing around with the challenge! :)))

  48. Lisa, Thanks so much for this one. It was the perfect thing for a busy Thanksgiving weekend, and I learned some new things. Mine didn’t blister even though I made the dough two separate times and tried different oil temperatures. I used dry marsala (what I had on hand) as the liquid and can’t help but wonder if the liquid has anything to do with it. Yours came out absolutely stunning.

  49. ChattyCha says:

    Thanks, Lisa, for leading us down the cannoli path. I, too, titled my post with the same line from The Godfather (greatest. line. ever), and wondered which other daring bakers would do the same!

    Although this challenge made me nervous at first, I ended up having so much fun! Thanks again.

  50. Xiaolu says:

    Great pick and lovely photos! I hope to try these one day though I’m pretty intimidated by deep-frying.

  51. Lisa, I want to thank you for this challenge.

    I have NEVER made cannoli before, but had such a fun time. I also was able to reminisce a little of my five years living in Boston – and of eating many a cannoli from the North End.

    This little dolci is not something you see much of here in Brisbane, but now I know how to make them, what’s stopping me from enjoying these anytime.

    Thank you!

  52. zorra says:

    Lisa, thank you for your kind words on my blog and thank you for the challenge. It was a real one for me. 😉 If you would like to add my woody cannoli to show how ‘anything goes’ when filling cannoli, just go for it.

  53. Cakelaw says:

    Thanks for hosting us this month Lisa Michele, and introducing me to something I knew little about – and helping me to get out that long forgotten pasta maker and conquering the deep frying skills!!! I like the look and sound of the pumpkin ones – perhaps another day …

  54. Lisa Michelle-Thanks for this fab challenge! While I’ll still drive several hours to the North End for a good cannolo on a whim, I can also choose to make them at home- thanks to you! Next time, I’ll fry them.

    Your cannoli look amazing, if only I had one of the chocolate and pistachio coated ones right now! Except for yours, of course, where are the best cannoli in New York?

  55. shaz says:

    Thank you so much for such a great challenge Lisa! I wouldn’t have made my own cannoli otherwise. (I can walk two minutes to a deli round the corner and buy some -yeah, spoilt, I know). But hubby was SO excited at the word cannoli I knew I had to do the fried version, and was very pleasantly surprised that it was actually quite straightforward. Thanks again 🙂

    Oh and thanks for all the gold stars !

  56. Lisa Michelle… Thank you for hosting and sharing the cannoli recipe. The results were delicious! Also, looking at your results, I love the different fillings and variations you have. Plus, your shells looks so thin and perfect.

  57. Sue says:

    Your cannoli look absolutely beautiful and absolutely perfect! Thanks for the great challenge this month…I barely made it!

    P.S. Thanks for the link to the “woody” cannoli(very funny and maybe a good dog treat!), and the photo of the “best blisters.”

  58. Mimi says:

    Lisa Michele,
    Thank you for hosting this fun challenge. This was just the push I needed, I love cannoli and I don’t make them often enough.
    Mimi

  59. Catalina says:

    Thanks for the great challenge this month.
    I was a little late making mine…oops!
    Yours look stunning! Like out of a magazine.
    Great work!
    I love the blisters on everyone’s cannoli – amazing!
    Mine are not nearly as nice.
    Thanks again – it was fun!

  60. moozie says:

    ha! i didnt realize that you were you! i feel even more special for getting praise from the challenge originator! 🙂 thanks for coming up with such a fun and different DB challenge – mom and i had a great time!! those blister award winners are fantastic too btw – great job to them too!! 🙂

  61. Judy says:

    What a perfect challenge. I still consider it baking…we had to make dough didn’t we??? Loved it!

  62. Jeanne says:

    Thank you for hostessing! It was my first challenge, and I had lots of fun! Thanks for not choosing the sfogliatelle. 😉 I am envious of your thin, blistery cannoli shells.

  63. leanne says:

    lisa, this was an amazing, fun challenge. i really, really enjoyed making (and eating) this one. Thank you for such a great idea!

  64. Thanks so much for this wonderful challenge Lisa Michele! I really loved it and the cannolis were so delicious and loved by every single person that tried them. thanks for the amazing challenge and for being a fabulous host! 🙂 xxx

  65. Marcellina says:

    Lisa Michelle, thankyou sooo much for this great challenge. Even though I have made so many cannoli in the past I still learnt heaps. It is easy to get stuck in a rut producing the same thing over and over. That’s what is so great about Daring Bakers challenges – the challenge to stretch yourself that little bit further. Thank you!! Also thank you for the great award at the end of your post. I feel so honoured! You are so kind.

  66. annmartina says:

    I’m so glad you chose this. You did so much hard work on your research! I can’t wait to try your pumpkin filling. Yours look amazing.

  67. Ivonne says:

    Lisa,

    If I were beside you I would hug hug hug you! I loved this challenge! One of my favourite DB challenges in such a long time! I probably would have never tried cannoli on my own. The shells were absolutely delicious.

    I had to laugh when I saw Zorra’s post because I couldn’t believe it when I read it myself. I’d never have the guts to fry “wood”. Okay. That doesn’t sound so good. Nevermind.

    Great job, baby!

  68. pragmaticattic says:

    Thanks for a great challenge, Lisa! I love the pumpkin cannoli–what a great idea . . .

  69. Laura says:

    Thanks for choosing this month’s recipe, I always wanted to try making Cannoli. I made the dough and the filling but run out of time as I was busy with some catering and packing for our little Thanksgiving trip. I will try them when I get back home and post late. I am so bummed, hopefully the frozen dough will work well.

  70. Ellie says:

    Thank you so much for the challenge! It’s a great recipe and everyone love the cannoli.

  71. culinography says:

    Time ran out on me this month… between a totaled car, the hubby getting swine flu, unexpected travel for work and the Thanksgiving holiday, I am living proof of why you should never wait until the last minute to do something you know you need (and want!) to do!!

    Hoping I’ll be able to get to these in December – they look AMAZING!!!

  72. isa says:

    As always, you impress me with your creativity. Your cannoli are absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for this great challenge!

  73. Cheri says:

    This challenge was such a blast Lisa! Thank you so much for hosting and for taking into consideration everyone’s busy schedules. Not only that, but making hundreds of cannoli’s so we that could have the best, most detailed recipe out there. You rock!

  74. Evelyne@CheapEthnicEatz says:

    Great choice, I loved to learn how to make one of my favorite treats! Thank you…I hope one day mine look as great as yours.

  75. Jane says:

    Hi Lisa– This was my first ever DB challenge and I had a great time making your chosen recipe! I, like so many others, have very little experience with deep frying and that was perhaps the most daunting aspect. How relieved I was that everything went well and they turned out fine. Lisa, it’s obvious you put an awful lot of work into everything related to your hosting responsibility! Bravo! (I’m so glad that I finally joined the Daring Bakers!)

    Jane 🙂

  76. crumbsoflove says:

    Thanks for the great challenge and your nice words regarding my cannoli. Yours of course, look great (they better,since it’s your pick!) I think I’ve gained 5 pounds this past week…

  77. ingrid says:

    Wish I could have helped with the taste testing!

    Hope you had a fantastic one!
    ~ingrid

  78. Sabine says:

    Thanks Lisa for the great challenge. You really changed my mind about those yummy little treats, and you have outdone yourself with your wonderful creations.

  79. Thanks so much for hosting! Cannoli are one of my favorite treats. Yours look absolutely gorgeous!

  80. Nicole says:

    Thank you so much for this awesome challenge, your nice comments and a warm welcome!
    Your pumpkin cannolis look so good! I love that you did spun sugar 🙂

  81. anjelikuh says:

    LOL, thanks! can openers weren’t my first choice, but hey, they still worked 😉 thank you so much for hosting this challenge, with a great recipe and detailed instructions. it was great to try out frying for a change!

  82. Katrina says:

    Hi,
    I mentioned using a basic pastry dough recipe in the cherry/berry pie I posted. the crust recipe is one I got from a local chef who I’ve been taking classes from. You mentioned in your pumpkin post about using a pate brisee recipe for your crust and that is probably the same recipe I used for the cherry pie. Just thought I’d let you know. The chef told us pate brisee just means basic pastry dough. It’s a darn good/you’re right buttery crust! I love it! The cherry pie is really good, I love the little bit of tartness from the tart cherries and the raspberries.
    Once again, since I was here and saw them again–heavenly, delicious looking cannoli, Lisa!

  83. Deb says:

    OMG — Woman! Canolis are my all time FAV! YUM!!!! I drooled through this blog! My own canoli filling recipe is quite similar, but I add a hint of triple sec to the cheese and I use 80% dark chocolate.

  84. chef_d says:

    Thank you for this challenge, I made mine stacked but next time I will try making them the traditional way 🙂

  85. Memoria says:

    What a hilarious and sweet post this is!! I love how you said if you click on the link you return to your blog and that you can’t escape LOL!!! With your beautiful cannoli, I don’t want to escape! Thank you for picking this challenge and for taking so many factors into consideration for us all. You are so kind and inventive. You provided great details to help us do well for this challenge. What a great leader you were!

    Also, thanks for your kind words on my blog. I enjoyed making the cannoli and the mascarpone cheese.

  86. Amazing Lisa! Not only your canolli are great, but the work you’ve put into this all post! It was a great choice for the challenge, I think everyone really enjoyed this one and you did a great job at hosting it! Very well done! Of course you are welcomed to use any picture form my post (sorry for only answering now but I’m in Germany for a few days)

  87. Jonna says:

    Thank you so much for the challenge Lisa Michele. You did a great job as host of the month!

  88. Namratha says:

    Thank you for a very scrumptious challenge Lisa, your cannoli are perfect!

  89. asprea says:

    Thanks for the great challenger Lisa, had a lot of fun especially since this was my first challenge!

  90. You rocked this girl. GREAT challenge choice, thank you.

  91. Gorgeous gorgeous cannoli! I love of the fillings! And I enjoyed looking at everyone’s cannoli posts this weekend – what a great challenge!

  92. Emiko says:

    Thanks for a great challenge Lisa! Although I didn’t have the forms to make the traditional tube shape, I did the napoleons and they weren’t rolled thin enough and a tad on the doughy side.

    I loved the taste however and hope to make these again. Next time I know what to expect. It’s always a fun learning process trying new recipes.

    Thanks for the challenge! 🙂

  93. Shirley says:

    Your fears were unfounded: This was a fun challenge! I know there were the anti-fryers, but they missed out on some seriously good dessert. I’m glad I already had storebought cannoli molds because I don’t know if I would have been industrious enough to saw up any wood or metal. Also, thanks for complimenting me on my homemade ricotta, but it’s storebought! The pic is just of the storebought stuff draining.

  94. Lisa, can’t thank you enough for this wonderful challenge. All the weekend we have been indulging ourselves in this delicious dessert. We even try the savoury filling. Marvellous!

    Can’t wait for your next hosting. Thank you!

    Sawadee from Thailand
    Kris

  95. Jenny Tan says:

    Thanks Lisa!!!! Thank you so much for this month’s challenge, although I was 2 days late! 😛 I am just so thankful that you’ve picked something that didn’t require using the oven. My oven is still 75-85 degree off, it was a pain the butt preparing Thanksgiving dinner! I took advantage of this challenge and went out and bought the tubes! 😛 hheheheee. BTW, I love fried food, even though I know it isn’t healthy…so, guess what??? I LOVE CANNOLI!!! 😀 Thanks again, and forgive me for being late.

  96. sabiilaa says:

    Hi Lisa! Your most welcome…I really enjoyed it.
    Wow! Yours look amazingly delicious!! and thank you for this challenge..although im not much of a frying fan (but do like fired stuff) loved the challenge…your both right about kids and that meant more for us!! =) thank you for dropping by.

  97. ericasedibles says:

    Thank you so much for such a great challenge! They turned out perfect. A true challenge, I would have never tried to make this without the push

  98. natalia says:

    Ciao Lisa !! Grazie for the Sicilian challenge !! I loved daring with you this month ! Thanks for your nice comment !!

  99. Natashya says:

    Beautiful! I will definitely give these a try soon, they look absolutely wonderful!

  100. debbie says:

    I just wanted to stop in to say thanks for hosting such a fun challenge. It is definitely something that I likely would never have tried and I will make them again (for a special occasion). I love that there are so many options for filling and even not filling. Thanks!

  101. A&N says:

    That is a typical Lisa post: Great pics, excellent details, long 😉 and certainly worth the time 😀

    Well, what can I say but KUDOS 🙂 The Cannolis looks fantastic 🙂

    On a side note, DJ was chosen SI’s sportsman of the year 🙂

  102. sara says:

    thanks for a fantastic challenge this month! i would NEVER have thought to make these myself, but they were SO GOOD and i’m sooooo glad i tried them! yum!

  103. Kitty says:

    You are beautiful! I’m very upset I didn’t get a chance to make this, but I def will be in December! I’m constantly trying to catch up, I swear!

  104. Caitlin says:

    I went with a toilet paper roll wrapped in foil 🙂 Great challenge! My fiance especially enjoyed it 😛

  105. Faery says:

    Your cannoli look great, thanks for this challenge I loved deep frying with you, I’ll keep this recipe and I will deep fry again and again Thank you Lisa

  106. Simon says:

    Thank you for being the host of this challenge!

    Really liked reading through your post, though when it switched to third person, it kinda threw me off for a moment.

    Really liked how your cannoli turned out. Looks so professionally made! Also appreciate the alternative offered ala the stack. Mine was a variation on your variation of the stack, taking advantage of the puffing of the dough.

  107. Julie says:

    I thought I’d already commented, but I can’t find it, so maybe I imagined it 😀

    Lisa, thanks again for such a lovely challenge. Your cannoli are gorgeous, and this was such a fun experience!

  108. Juliana says:

    Oh Lisa, absolutely gorgeous…love all the pictures…and the decorated cannolis are just amazing…

  109. TeenieCakes says:

    Lisa – Thanks for a great challenge this month. The recipe and directions/instructions made it easy and straightforward. Your cannolis turned out beautiful and all those blisters!

  110. Jason says:

    Everything looks great.

  111. Carly says:

    What beautiful cannolis! Thanks for the challenge!…And for saying my cannolis looked good when I was self conscious about them:)

  112. Kathlyn says:

    Lisa Michele what a great post! That was super-fun seeing the other cannoli from your fellow DBs. And of course, yours was beautiful as always. Thanks for a fun challenge – I learned a ton about making these things and will be very happy if a friend ever requests them for a birthday or a special event. Cheers to you girl!

  113. Thanks for choosing such a fun and daring challenge. I love cannoli, but would never have attempted to make them at home. That’s why I love being a part of this group! Happy holidays!

  114. Natalie says:

    Thank you so much for an awesome challenge. I’ve eaten cannoli at a wide variety of restaurants, but I’ve never made them for myself. This month I got to fill that blank in my baking history.

    Awesome pictures and thanks for the round up of some wonderful jobs other DBers have done!

    Natalie @ Gluten a Go Go

  115. Patrick says:

    Everything looks perfect! Thanks for putting pictures in your post. It seems pretty easy. I would love to make some so it won’t be a big problem for me if I crave some.

  116. linda says:

    Thank you for the challenge, even though I don’t really like frying I very much enjoyed doing so for the Daring Bakers 🙂 And I’m also happy to have tasted cannoli for the first time in my life 🙂

  117. evanescencia says:

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH LISA FOR THIS FANTASTIC CHALLENGE!!! Your cannoli and photos of the step by step are splendid. I have never heard of cannoli, and the filling was new for me too. And tell you that from now on my family and me love cannoli!!! They are so delicious that you can’t eat only one…you want eat one and one more and more and more…It was a great idea for November Challenge.

    Thanks for being the host this month and for this excellent recipe.

    Hugs from Spain
    Eva

  118. Simona says:

    I am very grateful to you, Lisa, for choosing a challenge I would not have attempted on my own, though I am Italian and a lover of cannoli. My thermometer mishap and dough spreading difficulties did not stop me completely. And I am determined to try again. Thanks for hosting a nice challenge.

  119. Dharm says:

    Lisa, Lisa! Your cannoli is just wonderful. I’m soo sorry I missed this challenge. I really wanted to do it but between hurting my back in early november and then my son’s birthday on the 15th – had to make his cake – I just didnt have the time. Back is still pretty much F***ed up but slowly getting better. Am I forgiven??!! Hugs!

  120. allyall says:

    What beautiful cannoli! I still haven’t made this challenge, travel plans caused me to forget. Kids actually have been asking to do it so we will.

  121. Arlette says:

    I am sure you are wondering where is she, and how come you didnt see any posting for me…. I just came back…we will talk later about all that…
    first let me say you are the queen of all yummy and tasty food…
    just Amazing Cannolies , with wonderful flavours.
    Thanks for a wonderful posting…
    We Love it

  122. Olga says:

    Thank you so much for your comment on my cannoli!! I’m saving it 😉

    I like how you cut the dough into strips and fried it!
    And of course all the variations look very tempting.

    I shall invest in a piping bag.

  123. Jamie says:

    This was a fun challenge and what great ones you made! And I am amazed at the super DB creativity whirling around the blogosphere. I must say that you have also brought back the trips into Chinatown and Little Italy with my brother, or those mornings that I would stop in Bruno’s Bakery in Soho for a Cappuccino and a – yes- sfogliatelle (my absolute favorite!!). Ah, great this.

  124. fairy_mi says:

    Hi Lisa!
    Your performance is perfect as always-
    The cannoli shells look so pretty and delicious,
    And the pumpkin filling with caramel and pecans sounds heavenly!
    I could use a bite or two… or three 🙂
    Thank you very much for this fabulous challenge,
    That was an amazing idea and I had lots of fun making it.
    Happy Hanukah
    And greetings from Israel
    Inbal

  125. evilcakelady says:

    thanks for helping Annmarie and I spread the GF cannoli love!!

    ECL

  126. susie says:

    Loved this challenge. I have been making the same recipe for years, and I ventured out…they were delicious, had them last night. What fun to not bake this month for the Baker’s Challenge!

  127. susie says:

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, I love all the comments you received, all those fried dough converts! Here is my recipe, remember my family is from a very rural area of Italy, I suspect it morphed a little when they came here.
    2 c. flour
    2 eggs
    6 T powdered sugar
    2T melted butter
    a shot and a half of German white wine
    1 tea vanilla
    1 tea cinnamon
    mix, roll out and put egg yolk to pinch on shell. Deep fry.
    Now you see why I rarely pass on recipes, vague is an understatement! I was intrigued to try the Marsala in your recipe, I didn’t realize there was an option other than amber, so despite the darkness, they were delicious and my family is getting veal marsala over the holiday! I hope you will stop by again, I will be making another deep fried regional specialty from the Puglia area that is delicious.

  128. Blondie says:

    Okay so late posting leads to late commenting! But 129 comments! You go girl. I loved this challenge and currently have an order to fill (of cannoli) for my husbands boss… Hee Hee.
    So a belated (very) thank you for a great challenge.

  129. adolffare says:

    Oh my god loved reading this article. I submitted your feed to my blogreader!!

  130. bert says:

    My persistent civil libertarianism will cause an ulcer if I keep reading stories like this.

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  132. Erin O. says:

    I used this recipe for my cannoli shells and it was seriously good! I probably could have eaten the whole batch by myself. I’m glad I had guests over to stop me!

  133. Debbie Savino says:

    The suggestion to use the pasta roller was just fabulous!!!!! I set the Atlas at 6 at the end, and they came out perfectly!
    Kudos!!!!!!!!!

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  135. Red says:

    I bought 5 canolli’s and only had one, and then the crust was soggy , how can I crisp them up Thanks.

    • Lisa says:

      Hi Red! Well, if the cream is already in them, I’m not sure you can, but you could remove the cream, wrap the shells in foil, and let them crisp up in a 350 oven for a few minutes..then dip the shells in the cream 🙂

      • Red says:

        Thanks Lisa for your quick reply, but I thought it would be to messy, as they had a lot of decorations on them, but will keep it in mind if I have that problem again
        Thanks Red,

      • Lisa says:

        You’re welcome, Red! This is why at all bakeries that sell cannoli, they will not fill the shell until purchase. This is also why I rarely buy them in the supermarket unless I know they’ve just been filled and I know we’re going to eat all of them …very soon 🙂

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  137. Angie says:

    You had me at Cannoli….and then again at Pumpkin. 🙂 My first attempt years ago yielded cannoli tortilla style due to no cannoli tubes. They were a hit then….will try them again on purpose this time. I also want to try a mini bowl style. Suggestions? I’m making them for a family birthday(mine) dinner this weekend. I almost want to bake them so I can get the bowl shape right…but all this talk of frying and I’m torn.

    🙂 Angie

  138. good post, bookmarked, I’ll return later.

  139. Pingback: Sicily: Chocolate Cannoli with Ricotta & Pistachios | The Petite Cook |

  140. Laura says:

    Amazing. I want to be a part of the group

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  142. Joanne says:

    I just returned from Catania, Sicily where my daughter and I got to have a private cooking class. We chose ravioli and cannoli. I have made cannoli before and their recipe is very close to this one. Two changes in the cannoli shell that she has was using lard. She was adamant about that and I do use lard for pie shells. The other was a small amount of 95% alcohol (Ever clear in the liquor store). She had pit lemon rind in the bottle to give it a flavor. I substuted this for the vinegar. After kneadin it she only rested it in the fridge for 1/2 hour so that is what I am doing right now. She also had hollow bamboo tubes somebody made her in place of metal tubes that sink in the oil. Wish I could find somebody here that makes them. She said the reason for the pure alcohol is it maks the puffs in the shell. They were delicious. Thought I would pass that on from a Sicilian chef.

    • Lisa says:

      Thank you so much for sharing the lard and alcohol tip from the Sicilian chef, Joanne! I’m going to add it to the post as a note, with credit to you, of course! I’m really excited to try it using Ever Clear! I can’t wait to see them bubble and puff! That said, is the dough easier to roll using lard and Ever clear This dough is a manual tough roll..although it’s a good workout for the arms lol.

      • Joanne Wallace says:

        Lisa, I just finished a big batch of cannoli shells. Came out great. I started firing in a large pot on my gas stove while rolling and cutting the shells. It did not take long to realize this is at least sv2 man job as I was having trouble controlling the heat of the peanut oil. It got way hot and they were burning. So I decided to turn the oil off and just concentrate on cutting the circles and flouting and stacking them then wrapping in Saran Wrap for the next day. So today I got out my electric frying pan and filled with the peanut oil and set on 425 and since I have 8 rollers did 8 at a time. So much easier! Got at las 30 shells with minimum breakage. Followed your recipe subbing Ever Clear for vinegar and the lard. Very nice dough, soft and pliable. I use the pasta attachment on the Kitchenaid mixer and that is a real time saver.

      • Lisa says:

        Joanne, I had that problem with the oil the first time I made them, too. They definitely darken faster than any fried dough or fritter I’ve ever, well, deep-fried. I’m glad it worked out for you in the end, but what I’m most excited about is that the lard and possibly Ever Clear give you a soft, supple dough that’s easily rolled! That said, in my recipe, would you replace or split the Marsala with the Ever Clear?

  143. Joanne Wallace says:

    Lisa,
    I just substituted the Ever Clear for the vinegar, same amount. I also added red wine until it was nice and supple. At least 1/2 cup but maybe more since I didn’t measure it. I made them for Easter and I got raves all around.
    Joanne

  144. Dianne says:

    Do you use EGG in the shell recipe? or is it just to seal the shell on the form??

    • Lisa says:

      Hi, Dianne! I did some work on this cannoli post a few weeks ago, condensing the recipe so it would be simpler, and I forgot to add the egg white or yolk back into the shell dough directions! So sorry about that! Yes, either the egg white or the egg yolk goes into the dough – not the whole egg. The yolk makes it a little easier to roll, and the white makes it a little lighter – your choice :). To seal the dough around the cannoli forms, use whichever part of the egg you didn’t use in the dough (egg yolk or egg white).

  145. Joanne Wallace says:

    I use homemade cannoli forms of bamboo. You can use any size you want, cut to about 6 to 8″. A chef in Sicily told us about this when we took her class. Also said 2 things are a must in shells – 95 percecent grain alcohol to make them puffy and lard. They come out fabulous.

    • Lisa says:

      Thank you for those tips, Joanne! I recall you mentioning the grain alcohol and lard about a year ago and we tried it. Fabulous, indeed, and perfect! Also, I can see hpw bamboo would make a great cannoli form, since it’s has the perfect combination of grip and slipperiness (Just learned to knit and use bamboo knitting needles). That said, how amazing to learn this in Sicily! I hope to one day visit Italy and just EAT! 🙂

  146. Valentina says:

    Made these last week and want to make them again. They shell turned out delicious I just had one problem. When I would drop my cannoli into the oil to fry a lot of them would undo. I did the egg seal and kind of pinched the dough together but half of them undo. So then I ended up holding the ends with the tongs while dropping them in a the oil that way wouldn’t unroll but didn’t get all those nice blisters. Anyone else had this?

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