Cannoli Recipe

In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine.

Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 8 pulses.

Add the egg yolks and marsala wine. Pulse until the mixture starts to clump together, forming a dough. Add more marsala wine, one tablespoon at a time, if needed to bring the dough together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Lay two large pieces of finely woven cheesecloth on top of each other. Place the ricotta in the center, gather the cheesecloth around it, and twist and squeeze to release as much liquid as possible. If you don’t have cheesecloth, spread the ricotta onto 4 layers of paper towels, top with another 2 layers, let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrape off the ricotta.

In a large bowl, combine the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, mini chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.

Cover the filling and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the rested dough to about ⅛-inch thickness. Cut out eighteen 4-inch circles. You can re-roll scraps if desired, by kneading them back into a ball and letting them rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling again.

Heat 2 quarts of vegetable oil in a large pot (5- to 7-quarts) over medium heat to 360°F (182°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust heat as needed. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lay a single layer of paper towels on top of the rack.

Wrap the dough circles around metal cannoli forms. Use a bit of reserved egg white to seal the overlapping ends together.

Carefully fry the shells in batches in the hot oil for about 2 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Use tongs or a spider strainer to transfer the shells to the paper towel-lined rack to drain.

Immediately and carefully remove the metal forms from the fried shells. Let the shells cool completely on the wire rack before filling.

Transfer the chilled ricotta filling to a piping bag. Snip off the tip and pipe the filling into the cooled cannoli shells.

Press mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios onto the filling at the ends of each cannoli. Dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired.