Taste of Home Field Editor Makes Cannolis
By: Laura Hartog
Updated: June 29, 2012
Fried Cannoli Shells
3 Tbsp shortening
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
tsp cinnamon
cup marsala wine
1 lightly beaten egg
Vegetable oil (to fry in)
Cut shortening into flour until it resembles crumbs. Fold in sugar and cinnamon. Add wine a few drops at a time. Add egg and mix until pastry holds together. If necessary, you may add a little more wine to hold the pastry together. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Separate dough ball into quarters. Roll out, 1 quarter at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll very thin (about the thickness of a dime) Cut the dough in circles about 4 inches long and wrap around cannoli tube. Seal the edges of the circle where they overlap with a little bit of milk. Deep fry in vegetable oil for about 2 minutes (until golden brown). Drain on paper towels. Allow to cool before removing cannoli tube.
Pizzelle shells
3 large eggs
cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter melted (allow to cool)
1 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Beat eggs with sugar 3 minutes. Add melted butter and vanilla and beat until blended. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to egg mixture and fold together until incorporated.
Drop batter by Tablespoons. Cook in pizzelle iron until set, but still flexible (about 20-30 seconds, depending on your iron.) Roll around cannoli tube and allow to cool. Remove tube and place the shells side-by-side, seam side down on a cookie sheet. The shells will be flexible. Continue until you use up the batter. Transfer the cookie sheet filled with shells to a 275 oven. Bake on low heat until shells are crispy and golden brown.
Cannoli Filling
1 qt. half-and-half
1 cup sugar
1 cup cornstarch
tsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)
Whisk together half-and-half, sugar, and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until thickened. Stir in cinnamon. Be sure it doesn't scorch. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate (preferably overnight). Mixture will be very thick. Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat on high for 10 minutes.
Pipe into cannoli shells. Make sure shells are completely cool before piping filling. Refrigerate until serving.
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