Unholy Cannoli

Unless you're trying to treat a friend from Southern Italy who's very proud of their cannoli, there's no reason not to enjoy this faster, lighter, "cheater" version. We trade the traditional fried dough for an easier crispy wafer cookie, which produces a different texture but very similar flavor profile. Feel free to garnish the ends with pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts, dress them up a bit with some drizzled chocolate, or simply dust powdered sugar over.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 9 30

Course Snack

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Calories 2123.1 kcal

Equipment

1 Fine-Mesh Strainer Essential for properly draining ricotta cheese
1 Baking Sheet
1 Silicone Mat Recommended for non-stick baking of the shells
1 Whisk For mixing the shell batter
1 Aluminum Foil For creating cannoli molds

Ingredients

Main

1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon melted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour packed, or more as needed
¼ cup white sugar
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons Marsala wine
1 large egg white
½ cup mascarpone cheese
1 orange zested
1 lemon zested
⅓ cup chopped dark chocolate
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup chopped pistachio nuts Optional

Instructions

Transfer ricotta cheese to fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let drain, 8 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (such as Silpat™) and brush with 1 teaspoon melted butter.
For the shells, place flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, 1 tablespoon melted butter, Marsala wine, and egg white in a bowl. Mix with a whisk until very smooth, relatively thin, and spreadable.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter per shell onto the prepared baking sheet. Swirl batter gently with the back of the spoon from the center outwards to create a fairly thin flat circle about 6 inches in diameter. You should be able to fit 2 per pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until edges are browned and centers have golden brown spots, 10 to 12 minutes.
While shells are baking, make a few molds by twisting pieces of aluminum foil into 7-inch long cylinders about 2 inches thick.
While shells are still hot, quickly roll each around a foil mold to form a tube, seam-side down. Press each tube gently with a spatula for a few seconds until cool enough to hold its shape. Repeat with remaining batter, baking and shaping in batches; let shells cool completely.
For the filling, mix drained ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese, orange zest, lemon zest, dark chocolate, and honey together with a spatula. Transfer into a plastic pastry or zip-top bag and cut off one corner.
Pipe the filling into one end of a shell until it comes out slight from the opening, and then turn and fill the other end. Garnish both ends of exposed cheese filling with chopped pistachios. Serve within the next hour or two while cannoli remain crispy.

Notes

The critical first step is ensuring your ricotta is thoroughly drained; this prevents a watery filling and is key to achieving the desired creamy consistency. When forming the shells, work quickly and confidently while they are still hot and pliable from the oven. Even spreading of the batter on the silicone mat is crucial for thin, crisp wafers. Don't be afraid to press the rolled shells gently with a spatula to help them set their shape. For enhanced flavor, consider using fresh, high-quality full-fat ricotta and mascarpone. The suggested garnishes like pistachios add not only texture but also a vibrant visual appeal. Remember, these cannoli are best enjoyed shortly after filling to maintain the crispness of the 'shells'.