Monday, April 9, 2012

Amaretto Lace Cannoli

A twist on the tradional Sicilian Cannoli




Honorable Mention Winner in Karo's "Signature Dessert Challenge," 2012

We grew up spending every weekend at our Nonna's house. I have fond memories of sitting on a chair to stir the pot on the stove, and studying her every move as she hand measured all her ingredients. After many years, I began to write her recipes down. One of my favorite memories is making cannoli with her. She let me wrap the round discs of dough around the wooden dowels and stir the confectioners sugar in the creamy, sweet ricotta. And, I remember dipping my finger in and scooping some of the cannoli mixture to eat while she wasn't looking! Holidays were especially fun, since we made special treats.

 She, indeed, left us the most treasured legacy. . Since the best recipes are the ones that are shared, I wanted to take out my family's recipe box and share my Nonna's classic cannoli recipe, but with my modern twist. This recipe really solves the dilemma of the fried cannoli shell. The Karo Corn Syrup helps to create a pliable foundation upon which the almonds and oats are set allowing it to be shaped around the cannoli form after it is baked. Everything marries together beautifully, with just the right flavor balance of sweet and salty, and texture balance of creamy and crunchy.

 Karo Corn Syrup helps create the perfect house for the filling, and this version of cannoli is all the flavors and textures I crave in an Italian dessert! Serve these cannoli with a hot cup of cappuccino, or espresso. 

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/3 cup of Karo Light Corn Syrup
  • 1/2 cup of light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 stick of butter (salted)
  • 1 cup of roasted, salted almonds (chopped)
  • 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup of rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 16 ounces of fresh whole milk ricotta (drained)
  • 1 teaspoon of Amaretto, or almond extract
  • 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream (optional)
  • 1/2 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt (fine)
PREPARATION:

 1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2.) In a 1 quart saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, Karo Light Corn Syrup, and almond extract over medium heat. Remove from heat when mixture is liquified. 3.) In a large bowl, thoroughly combine flour, chopped almonds, oats. 4.) Pour the sugar/butter/corn syrup mixture over dry ingredients and thoroughly combine with a wooden spoon. 5.) Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop 1-inch sized dough balls on sheet. (Spread dough about 4 inches apart, as they will spread about 4 inches.) Bake about 6-8 minutes. 6.) In a medium size bowl, thoroughly combine drained ricotta, confectioners sugar, mini chocolate chips, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. If mixture is too tick, you may add 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream. 7. Transfer ricottta/cannoli filling to a pastry bag, using a large star tip for piping. 8.) Remove the almond lace cookies from the oven to cool for 1-2 minutes. (do not try and work with the cookies until they have set at least a couple of minutes.) 9.) Working one at a time, rip the parchment around one of the cookies (as seen in photo #3) and begin to form the cookie around the cannoli tube. Rest the cannoli shell with the seam down while it fully cools and sets. Continue in same fashion with all cannoli shells. 10.) When cannoli shells have cooled, slide off cannoli form, and pipe cannoli filling in one side first, then turn cannoli around and fill in other side until entire cannoli is filled . * COOK"S NOTES- If batter becomes too stiff to spoon, simply microwave for 20 seconds and it will soften back up. Also, if cookies cool before you form them into cannoli shells, simple return to oven for about one minute, and they will be workable again. If you do not have cannoli forms, you may use any other kitchen tool that is tubular and has 1/2 inch diameter, such as a large wooden spoon, etc..*

24 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Hey, Kathy! Glad you like. Thanks for stopping by!

      -Cath

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  2. Hi these sound soo good!
    Thank- you for sharing. I have tried to make the filling in the past and the consistancy wasn't thick enough. Do I just pour off the water or do I need to drain the excess water from the ricotta using cheese cloth?

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    1. Hi, Lauretta.

      Definitely drain the ricotta for about an hour (with a cheese cloth). If it is too dry, then you can add a a couple teaspoons of heavy cream to thin in out to the consistency you need. Totally fool proof! :-)

      Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!!

      Cathi

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  3. Hope you don't mind my repinning this on Pinterest! Great recipe. Beautiful site and photos.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, there!! Of, course I don't mind you repinning! Thank you!

      Stop by again!
      -Cath

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  4. Cathi, I've stumbled across your blog, and I love it! This recipe looks amazing and I can't wait to try it. I have a (potentially dumb) question for you. Do you need one cannoli form, or lots? What I'm trying to ask is: If I only have a wooden spoon, could I do the cannoli one at a time (roll it, let it set, and then move on to the next), or do I need several forms so that I can do them all at once? Thanks so much!

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    1. Hi, Sarah!

      I only have four cannoli forms. I would like so make some from wooden dowels that I will eventually purchase from Home Depot. Then saw them into 4-inch pieces and sand them. I know Italians that have wooden cannoli dowels that are decades old. They're pretty cool!

      But, anyway, if you have a wooden spoon that is the diameter you would like your hollow farms to be, go ahead and use that! That's what we do in the kitchen, right? We improvise! :-)

      Thanks for stopping by!

      -Cath

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  5. The cannoli look wonderful, and I would like to try them.
    I have one question, though - I know Americans always add quite a bit of salt to their sweet pastry, but Europeans usually add none, or only a pinch. Is the half of a teaspoon salt in the filling really necessary?
    Karin

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Hanseata!

      Thanks for stopping by! No, the salt is optional, or "to taste." I jsut doen't like my sweets "too" sweet, so I added the salt, but you can certainly omit, or reduce to your personal taste.

      Thanks for the kind words! Come again soon!

      -Cathi

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    2. Sorry, I meant to write "Karin," not Hanseata. :-)

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  6. You have a great blog, and I definitely will check on it again!
    Now I only have to find a home kitchen version of mille feuilles filled with lemon cream, like I had it in Amalfi (SIGH!)

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  7. Hello and thank you for this lovely resource. Your time and effort are appreciated. I am going to use this recipe for gift-giving. Cooking for others is very personal and intimate for me...and your Cannoli recipe is perfect to make and to present.

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    Replies
    1. Hey, Vanessa. Thank you SO much!! And, you are so welcome, of course! Love sharing memories and recipes that have stood the test of time! Hope you do make these!

      Come back soon! Lots more on deck!

      -Cath

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  8. Hi! Do you need to use corn syrup? What could I substitute in it's place??
    Thanks,
    Randi

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Randi!! Sorry for the delay, I'm not getting all my notifications, for some reason...

      Anyhooo... Here is a substitution for Corn Syrup: For each cup of light corn syrup in a recipe, substitute 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water. For each cup of dark corn syrup, substitute 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.

      Hope this helps, and thanks for stopping by!!

      -Cath xxo

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  9. Hello! I made these yesterday and today I have a problem. They aren't crunchy anymore! how should I store them to keep crunchy?

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    1. Hi, Justina! As with other cannoli pastry shells, once they are refrigerated, they lose their crispness (but these more so, I think). You may store the shells in a container in your pantry, and keep the cannoli cream in the fridge, then pipe it into the shell when you are ready to serve.

      Sorry, I will add that tip to the direction. Thanks for your question!! :-)

      -Cath xxo

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    2. thank you for the answer :)

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  10. beautiful..loved the dessert..we do not get ricotta here, can it be substituted?
    should I try home made ricotta?..and I might sound silly, but if I do get a ready pack of ricotta, do I just put in a cheese cloth..the way we make hung curd?

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  11. I just found your site. Love the twist. Can't wait to try them

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  12. HI i was wondering how many does your recipe make?

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  13. You can also drape them over custard cups to create cannoli. "Cup" and fill them

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  14. You can also drape them over custard cups to create cannoli. "Cup" and fill them

    ReplyDelete