Pistachio Cannoli: Crisp Shells with Ricotta-Mascarpone Pistachio Cream
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Crisp homemade cannoli shells piped with a smooth ricotta and mascarpone cream full of pistachio, their ends dipped in finely chopped green pistachios.
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Method
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Equipment
- food processor
- cling film
- rolling pin
- 11.5 cm round cutter
- 4 metal cannoli tubes
- pastry brush
- large heavy pot
- deep-fry thermometer
- tongs
- tray lined with kitchen paper
- sieve lined with muslin or kitchen paper
- large bowl
- piping bag with a wide plain or star nozzle
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 427 kcal |
| Protein | 8.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 31.2 g |
| of which sugars | 13.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 11.2 g |
| Fat | 30.1 g |
| of which saturates | 15.4 g |
| Fibre | 1.7 g |
| Salt | 0.36 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 8 servings
Shells
- 135 g plain flour plus extra for rolling
- 25 g granulated sugar about 2 tbsp
- 1.5 g fine sea salt or table salt about ¼ tsp
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 28 g refined coconut oil, firm
- 1 large egg, beaten 1 tbsp for the dough, the rest for sealing
- 60 ml white grape juice
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- 1.5 l neutral frying oil (sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable) for about 6 cm depth
Filling
- 250 g whole-milk ricotta squeezed and pressed for 1 h
- 250 g mascarpone, cold
- 60 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 0.5 g fine sea salt or table salt a pinch
- 50 g shelled pistachios, finely chopped
To finish
- 40 g shelled pistachios, very finely chopped
- 12 g icing sugar, for dusting about 1 tbsp; optional; not counted
- 1
Press the ricotta. Wrap the ricotta in muslin or a double layer of kitchen paper and squeeze gently. Set it in the sieve with a small plate and a tin on top and refrigerate for 1 h so the excess liquid runs out.
- 2
Shell dough. Pulse the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in the processor, then add the coconut oil and pulse until sandy. Add 1 tbsp of the beaten egg along with the grape juice and vinegar and pulse until it gathers. Knead by hand for 4 min until smooth, wrap and chill 2 h; cover and chill the leftover egg. Resting relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls thin without springing back.
- 3
Cut and roll. Roll the dough to 3 mm and stamp out 8 rounds, then roll each one thinner, to about 2 mm, stretching it into an oval.
- 4
Shape on tubes. Wrap each oval around a cannoli tube and seal where it overlaps with a dab of beaten egg, pressing well. Work in groups of 4.
- 5
Fry. With the oil at 175 °C, fry each batch for about 2 min, turning, until deep golden and covered in bubbles. Drain, let them cool briefly and twist off the tubes, then shape and fry the remaining shells.
- 6
Beat the cream. Beat the ricotta, mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla and salt just until smooth and thick, then fold in the 50 g chopped pistachios. Keep the beating short, as mascarpone turns grainy if overworked. Chill.
- 7
Fill. Shortly before serving, pipe the cream into each shell from both ends.
- 8
Coat the ends. Dip both ends into the 40 g very finely chopped pistachios so they turn green, then dust the shells with icing sugar.
Storage
Keep unfilled shells airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days and the cream chilled for up to 2 days. Eat filled cannoli within an hour.
