Cannoli
Discover how to make classic Italian cannoli at home with crisp, golden pastry shells dipped in chocolate and filled with a creamy ricotta-mascarpone mixture, delicately flavored with orange zest and cinnamon.
Updated : 09 September, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
150 grams
Flour
1 tablespoon
Sugar
pinch
Baking soda
30 grams
Butter
1
Eggs
50 milliliters
Red wine
as needed
Vegetable oil
100 grams
Dark chocolate
pinch
Cinnamon
250 grams
Ricotta
100 grams
Mascarpone
1
Oranges
2 tablespoon
Powdered sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Place the flour, caster sugar, and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk with the wine then pour it into the flour mixture. Knead everything together until you form a smooth dough.
Step 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s almost paper-thin. You won’t need all of it. Use a plain 10cm/4in cutter to stamp out six circles. Wrap each piece tightly around a cannoli mould, sealing the edges firmly with a little egg white - take care to avoid smearing the mould itself.
Step 3
Fill a deep-fat fryer two-thirds full with oil and heat it to 180C (CAUTION: hot oil can be hazardous - never leave it unattended). Fry the cannoli shells on their moulds in two batches, cooking for 30-45 seconds each, or until the pastry turns golden and bubbly. Drain on kitchen paper. Once cool enough, carefully twist the shells off the moulds without cracking them.
Step 4
Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Dip both ends of each cannoli shell into the melted chocolate, tilting them so the edges are well coated, then place them on the baking sheet. Once all are dipped, place the tray in the freezer until the chocolate sets.
Step 5
For the filling, press the ricotta in muslin to remove any excess liquid, then beat it together with the mascarpone until light and creamy. Stir in the orange zest, sifted icing sugar, and cinnamon until evenly blended. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe into each cannoli shell. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar before serving.