Cannoli: Try This Italian Holiday Classic
Cannoli: Try This Italian Holiday Classic
Cannoli: Try This Italian Holiday Classic
Wrap 1 oval lengthwise around a 6-inch-long wooden dowel with a diameter of 3/4-inch
to 1-inch. Be very careful to wrap it loosely, leaving a little space between the dowel
and the pastry dough so that, when fried, the inside will be cooked as well.
Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to paint one end of the
shell with the egg. Pull the egg-brushed end over the opposite end, and press them
together, sealing the shell around the dowel.
Line a large plate or platter with paper towels.
Fill a wide, deep, heavy pot two-thirds full with lard and set over medium-high heat.
Heat the lard to a temperature of 350 degrees F to 375 degrees F.
Carefully lower the dowel into the oil and let fry until golden-brown, turning it as it
fries with a slotted spoon, approximately 10 minutes. Use the spoon to very carefully
remove the dowel from the lard and transfer to the paper-towel lined plate to cool.
When the shell is cool enough to touch, approximately 10 minutes, pull the dowel out.
Repeat steps 8 and 9 until all shells have been fried and removed from the dowel. (The
shells may be held in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months; I
urge you to not fill the cannoli more than 1 hour before serving them or they may
become soggy.)
When ready to fill and serve the cannoli, put the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted
with the #7 plain tip. Pipe filling into each shell until it is filled and the cream sticks out
both ends.
Dust the finished cannoli with powdered sugar and serve.