Where Cannoli comes from
According to Wikipedia they originated on the island of Sicily and are today a staple of Sicilian cuisine. Cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina areas and were historically prepared as a treat during Carnevale season, possibly as a fertility symbol. In this post, I will show how to make cannoli without wine. Delicious and decadent dessert!
What is cannoli filling made of
Usually, the cannoli filling is made with ricotta cheese and sugar. Some people add chocolate chips, pistachios or candied fruits.
How to make the cannoli filling
To make this delicious Sicilian dessert you need to start with the filling. In this recipe, I use dark chocolate and dried fruits, instead of chocolate chips and candied fruits. I find that it makes the cannoli less sweet, and you can taste all the different types of fruits. For the filling, first chopped all the dry fruits and the dark chocolate. Add in a bowl the ricotta cheese, add the dried fruits and the chocolate. Add the zest of an orange, the vanilla, the orange juice, and the sugar. Mix carefully all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
How to make cannoli tubes without wine
Usually, to make the dough you need red wine or Marsala wine. This recipe is without any alcohol. I used red wine vinegar instead and the dough was very crispy and tasty! For the dough, in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Add the butter, the egg and mix thoroughly. Then add the orange juice, the red wine vinegar, and pulse until the dough forms into a ball. You may need water.
On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Make a ball and cover it. Let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature. Roll the dough into a long and equal snake shape, about 12 inches long. Cut into slices the dough. (Each disc should be about 1/2 inch thick). This should give you about 18 cannolis. Using a rolling pin, make a flat round shape of each disc. Take each disc and roll them around the cannoli tubes. Using the beaten egg and a brush, brush the last part of the disc to make it stick to the roll.
Or like one of my readers suggested; after forming the dough into the approx 12″ snake shape to simply cut it into equal sections/pieces that are about 1/2″ thick and then rolling those sections of dough thinly, about 1/8″ thick, then using a 3-4″ round cookie cutter or even the rim of a glass, cut into 3-4″ rounds, then brushing edges with the egg/egg white and secure around your cannoli tubes. Thank you Alicia:)
How to cook the cannoli tubes
Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 190 °C (375 °F). Line a baking sheet with a paper towel. Fry 1 or 2 cannoli at a time for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool the cannoli completely.
How to assemble the cannoli
The easiest way to assemble the cannoli. First, make sure the cannoli tubes are completely cooled. Secondly, using a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with one of the corner cut, and then fill up the tubes from each side. Lay them down on a serving plate and dust them with some icing sugar. This desert is soo irresistible, for sure you will not be able to eat just one;)
Cannoli without Wine
Ingredients
Cannoli Filling
- 475 g ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dried fruits (finely chopped)
- 1 oz dark chocolate (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 zest of an orange
- 2 tbsp orange juice
Cannoli Dough
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsps sugar
- 3 tbsps orange juice
- 1 egg
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- 3 tbsps water (if needed)
Instructions
Cannoli Filling
- Chopped all the dry fruits and the dark chocolate.
- Add in a bowl the ricotta cheese, add the dried fruits and the chocolate. Add the zest of an orange, the vanilla, the orange juice and the sugar.
- Mix carefully all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
Cannoli Dough
- In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
- Add the butter, the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the orange juice, the red wine vinegar and pulse until the dough forms into a ball. Add water, if needed.
- On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Make a ball and cover it. Let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Roll the dough into a long and equal snake shape, about 12 inches long. Cut into slices the dough. (Each disc should be about 1/2 inch thick). This should give you about 18 cannolis. Using a rolling pin, make a flat round shape of each disc. Take each disc and roll them around the cannoli tubes. Using the beaten egg and a brush, brush the last part of the disc to make it stick to the roll.
- Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 190 °C (375 °F). Line a baking sheet with a paper towel. Fry 1 or 2 cannoli at a time for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool the cannoli completely.
Assemble
- Using a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with one of the corner cut, fill up the tubes from each side.
- Lay them down on a serving plate and dust them with some icing sugar. This desert is soo irresistible, for sure you will be not be able to eat just one;)
Notes
I see it says to add salt to the dry mix, but in the in cannoli dough ingredients I don’t see salt. How much are you supposed to add
If you want you can add a pinch of salt. Bon appétit!
Debi
Where is the oh listed for the filling?
Hello Debi, the ingredients list for the filling is in the recipe card towards the end. But I can give it to you here;
Thank you bon Appétit!
Ingredients
Cannoli Filling
475 g ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup dried fruits (finely chopped)
1 oz dark chocolate (finely chopped)
2 tbsp icing sugar
Orange juice and zest in filling? Please clarify.
Hello Lynn,
Yes the orange juice goes into the filling, it is only 3 tbsp. It will help to make the filling a little smoother. Bon appétit!
Hi Melanie, You’ve not given the quantity of orange juice in your filling ingredients. You have 3 tbspn of orange juice for the dough only.
Hello Angela, you are right, and I am sorry, I forgot to add these quantities to the recipe card. It is the zest of an orange, and two tbsp of orange juice. We don’t add too much orange juice because otherwise, the filling becomes too liquid. If your cheese is already on the liquid side, just omit the orange, the zest of a complete orange will be sufficient. I hope this will help, and again I apologized for my mistake. Thank you for trying my recipes.
My best Mélanie
Buongiorno Ms. Melanie! I just wanted to make a suggestion to your directions in rolling out the cannoli dough discs… It may be more clear if you simply state that after forming the dough into the approx 12″ snake shape to simply cut it into equal sections/pieces that are about 1/2″ thick and then rolling those sections of dough thinly, about 1/8″ thick, then using a 3-4″ round cookie cutter or even the rim of a glass, cut into 3-4″ rounds, then brushing edges with the egg/egg white and secure around your cannoli tubes. I find this to be the easiest way to get those flaky shells just right!
~Alicia Margarucci
Well Alicia, thank you very this is a good suggestion. I will try to edit my post:)
That was so sweet of you and you are very welcome! I find it very sweet that you interact with your “followers” in such a collaborative way😁
I do have a question for you, with regards to the cannoli shells, I have read that some people will use the red wine vinegar in place of the Marsala wine and I have also read that some people use the orange juice in place of the Marsala wine, but your recipe calls for both, do you think we can achieve the same flaky shell using only the red wine vinegar in place of the wine or respectively only the orange juice in place of the wine?
Thank you much!
~Alicia M.
How many cups is 475g of ricotta cheese?
Hello Katy, well 2 cups, it’s 500 grams, so I would say 1 cup and 3/4. You know even if you have more ricotta it is no problem at all, you can use the extra cheese to add on the side:) Who does not love cheese, right!:)