Homemade Cannoli's

Calling all Cannoli lovers out there! I don't profess to be a great Italian cook but I sure can make these disappear when I put them out for friends and family. You can't save these. You can't store them or freeze them. You have to eat these right away. Any objections?

Homemade Cannoli's

Shells

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup white wine
Oil or shortening, for frying

To make shells, mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter.
Add egg yolks; stir with a fork. Stir in wine, 1 tablespoon at a time, with a fork until dough clings together. Form a ball with the dough and let stand for 30 minutes. Roll dough almost paper thin, on a well-floured surface.

Using the rim of a wide glass such as a margarita glass (about 3-4 inches across), make circle imprints into rolled dough. Using a paring knife, make sure circles are cut all the way through. Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube, overlapping the ends and press to seal, flaring out the edges slightly.

Fry one or two at a time in hot melted shortening for about one minute, turning to brown all sides. Remove from hot grease and drain on paper towels, seam side down. 

Let cool a minute or two before trying to remove metal tube. To remove the tube hold cannoli shell down on the paper towel and carefully slide the tube out one end. Leave cannoil shells on paper towel, seam side down to cool completely.

Filling

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (excess liquid drained or squeeze dry with cheese cloth)
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (at least a couple of hours). When ready to serve, use a Ziploc bag with the bottom corner snipped off or a pastry bag and pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Serve immediately.

You can dip these in whatever topping you like. I sometimes dip them in mini chocolate chips and dust with confectioners' sugar.

I use the Norpro 3660 Stainless Steel Cannoli Forms, Set of 4
to make my shells.  Only $5.65 on Amazon.  Click on the link below to buy yours.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LBU1VQ/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B000LBU1VQ&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&linkId=OFBKEHSFDTSVJFFM&refRID=1RK4RKGBFKF22G55DN99

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