Homemade Cannoli

Straining the Ricotta

Notes: This is a crucial step to prevent soggy cannoli and should be done at least 8-12 hours in advance.

16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese

Place a strainer over a medium-sized bowl.

Lay a cheesecloth inside the strainer.

Gently spread the ricotta into an even layer on the cheesecloth.

Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to strain for at least 8-12 hours.

Notes: Fry only 4-5 shells at a time so as not to crowd the pan and lower the oil temperature.

2 inches of vegetable oil, for frying

1 egg white, reserved

Add about 2 inches of vegetable oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium heat until it reaches 350°F.

Roll out the rested dough as thin as possible (⅛th to 1/16th inch thick) and use a 4-inch cookie cutter to cut into rounds.

Lightly brush cannoli forms with vegetable oil and wrap the dough rounds around each form.

Brush the edge where the ends meet with the reserved egg white and press gently to seal.

Fry the shells at 350°F for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Use tongs to transfer the fried cannoli to a paper towel to drain.

Immediately and carefully remove the form from the cannoli shell. Let the forms and shells cool completely before filling.

16 ounces strained ricotta cheese

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the strained ricotta, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl.

Using a hand mixer, whip the mixture until it is fully combined and smooth.

If desired, you can fold in optional toppings like chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips at this stage.

Notes: As soon as the cannoli are filled they will start to soften, so they're best eaten within 1-2 hours of filling.

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

When ready to serve, transfer the ricotta filling to a piping bag and snip off the tip.

Pipe the filling into the cooled cannoli shells from both ends.

Press on desired toppings to the ends of the filling.

Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately.