Cannoli with chocolate cream

Here is the detailed recipe for cannoli with a creamy chocolate filling. Including step-by-step instructions, the correct quantities of ingredients per step, and the necessary materials with explanations on how to use them.

Shopping List:

For the dough (shells):

• • 250 grams all-purpose flour
  • 50 grams granulated sugar
  • 30 grams butter (soft, at room temperature)
  • 1 egg
  • 50 milliliters dry white wine or Marsala wine
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • Sunflower oil (for frying)

• For the chocolate cream:

  • 200 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
  • 200 milliliters heavy cream
  • 50 grams powdered sugar

• For garnish:

  • Powdered sugar (for dusting)
  • Grated chocolate or melted chocolate (optional, for decoration)

Equipment:

• Rolling pin: To roll out the dough thinly.
• Round cutter or glass (approx. 10 cm diameter): For cutting out the dough circles.
• Metal cannoli forms: To wrap the dough circles around. If you don't have these, you can use alternatives such as aluminum foil to make tubes.
• Paper towels: For draining the fried shells.
• Piping bag: To neatly pipe the chocolate cream into the shells. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a sturdy plastic bag and snip off a corner.
• Deep fryer or deep pan: For frying the cannoli shells.
• Kitchen thermometer (optional): To measure the oil temperature.
• A bowl and whisk: For whipping the heavy cream.

Yield:

This recipe makes approximately 12-15 cannoli, depending on the size of the dough circles.

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Steps:

Step 1: Making the dough for the cannoli shells

• Ingredients:
  250 grams all-purpose flour, 50 grams granulated sugar, 30 grams butter, 1 egg, 50 milliliters dry white wine or Marsala wine, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

• Mix the dry ingredients:
  Sift 250 grams of flour into a large bowl. Add 50 grams of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder. The cocoa powder gives the shells a subtle chocolate flavor and a darker color.

• Add butter:
  Add 30 grams of soft butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingers until you have a crumbly texture. The butter makes the dough light.

• Add egg and wine:
  Whisk 1 egg and add it, along with 50 milliliters of dry white wine or Marsala wine, to the flour mixture. Knead until you get a smooth dough. The wine makes the dough crispy and ensures light shells after frying.

• Knead the dough:
  Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, which will make rolling it out easier later.

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Step 2: Making the chocolate cream

• Ingredients:
  200 grams dark chocolate, 200 milliliters heavy cream, 50 grams powdered sugar

• Melt chocolate:
  Melt 200 grams of dark chocolate in a double boiler. This means placing a bowl over a pot of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Let the chocolate melt slowly without burning. Stir gently occasionally to prevent lumps.

• Whip cream:
  In a separate bowl, whip 200 milliliters of heavy cream with 50 grams of powdered sugar until stiff. Using powdered sugar ensures that the sugar dissolves well in the cream, keeping the cream smooth and airy.

• Fold chocolate into cream:
  Let the melted chocolate cool slightly, then add it to the whipped cream. Gently fold the chocolate into the cream with a spatula to keep the cream airy. Place the chocolate cream in the refrigerator while you make the shells.

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Step 3: Rolling out the dough and forming shells

• Materials: Rolling pin, round cutter or glass (approx. 10 cm), metal cannoli forms

• Roll out the dough:
  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two parts. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough thinly (about 2 millimeters thick). The thinner you roll out the dough, the crispier the shells will be.

• Cut out circles:
  Use a round cutter or a glass with a diameter of about 10 centimeters to cut circles from the rolled-out dough.

• Form around cannoli molds:
  Wrap the dough circles around the metal cannoli forms. Gently press the ends together and moisten them slightly with water so they stay secure during frying. If you don't have cannoli forms, you can make tubes from aluminum foil by rolling it tightly.

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Step 4: Frying cannoli shells

• Materials: Deep fryer or deep pan, kitchen thermometer (optional), paper towels

• Heat oil:
  Pour sunflower oil into a deep pan and heat it to approximately 180 degrees Celsius. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If it immediately starts to bubble, the oil is at temperature.

• Fry shells:
  Fry the shells a few at a time in the hot oil. Fry them for about 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the shells from the oil and let them drain on paper towels. Let them cool completely before filling.

• Remove molds:
  Once the shells have cooled, you can carefully slide out the metal forms. Gently twist them loose to prevent the shells from breaking.

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Step 5: Filling and serving cannoli

• Materials: Piping bag (or plastic bag with a cut corner), piping tip (optional)

• Fill:
  Fill a piping bag with the chilled chocolate cream. If you want a decorative look, use a piping tip, for example, a star-shaped tip. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends with the chocolate cream.

• Garnish:
  Dust the filled cannoli with powdered sugar. For extra decoration, you can drizzle some melted chocolate over the ends or use some grated chocolate.

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Why this is important:
As with traditional cannoli, it's important to fill the shells just before serving to maintain their crispness. If you fill the shells too early, they can become soft from the filling.