Daring Bakers Challenge November - Cannoli

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes

Cannoli are known as Italian-American pastries, although the origin of cannoli dates back to Sicily, specifically Palermo, where it was prepared during Carnevale season, and according to lore, as a symbol of fertility. The cannoli is a fried, tube-shaped pastry shell (usually containing wine) filled with a creamy amalgamation of sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate, candied fruit or zest, and sometimes nuts. Although not traditional, mascarpone cheese is also widely used, and in fact, makes for an even creamier filling when substituted for part of the ricotta, or by itself. However, cannoli can also be filled with pastry creams, mousses, whipped cream, ice cream etc. You could also add your choice of herbs, zests or spices to the dough, if desired. Marsala is the traditional wine used in cannoli dough, but any red or white wine will work fine, as it’s not only added for flavor or color, but to relax the gluten in the dough since it can be a stiff dough to work with.

I did a much simpler verson then the one listed, check her blog for the origional. I've had a recipe for these pasted in my book for 3 years now, so I went with that one.




Cannoli alla Siciliana

Shells

160 grams butter cubed
5 cups flour
2 eggs, lightly whisked
4 egg yolks, lightly whisked
1 cup (250ml) Marsala

Filling

1 ½ cups mascarpone

Finely dice the following
15g candied orange peel
15g glace cherries
15g glazed cedro
15g dark chocolate
15g roasted pistachios

45g caster sugar
50ml cream, whipped to soft peaks

To make the filling combine all ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

Rub butter into flour until combined. Add egg yolks and Marsala, knead to dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to 2mm thick. Cut into circles. Roll around metal cannoli tubes.

Heat 3l of oil in a deep saucepan to 170c

Deep fry cannolis for 3-4 minutes remove from oil and slid off tube. Place back in oil and fry for a further minute until brown.

Allow to cool and fill. Serve and consume immediately.