When it comes to Italian dessert, there’s always one dessert that comes to our mind, and that is tiramisu, but have you ever heard of or tried PISTACHIO CANNOLI?
An exquisite blend of texture and flavour makes you happy with just one bite.
Cannoli is a pastry that originated from the Sicily region of Italy. Cannoli means ‘little tubes’, which practically describes their shape. These desserts were originally made to celebrate carnival. But over time, it became a beloved year-round treat, and that represents Sicilian desserts.
This delightful dessert is not only for its appearance but also its texture and flavour combination. It has a crisp and flaky shell that provides a satisfying crunch in contrast to the creamy filling. Although, traditionally, cannolis are filled with a mixture of ricotta cheese, sugar and vanilla in this recipe, I have made the filling with a mixture of cream cheese, castor sugar and pistachio paste.
I know making your shells seems daunting, but through the steps of the recipe given below, it is quite simple.
I used to be a little sceptical about making shells myself, but after trying out for the first time, I found it easy to make them. So, through this blog post, I will tell you how to make these delicious cannolis from scratch.
Why You Will Love This Recipe?
- Texture: These pistachio cannolis are a perfect blend of textures with crispy and flaky shells with creamy and luscious filling inside.
- Flavor: These cannolis have a nutty flavor from the pistachio paste. It is a modern twist on a classic dessert that creates a distinct and memorable experience.
- Traditional: It is a traditional dessert from Sicily, Italy. Eating this dessert is like immersing yourself in the rich history of Sicily.
- Visually appealing: Apart from being delicious, it has perfect visual appeal; with the vibrant green colour and garnished ends, pistachio cannolis are a treat to your eyes. It can be the perfect dessert for impressing your guests on any occasion.
- Crowd pleaser: Pistachio cannolis are a complete crowd-pleaser. Make these on your next get-together and see the light lit up in your guests’ eyes with curiousness and satisfaction.
Important Ingredients Used in the Recipe
- All-purpose flour: It is an essential ingredient in making the dough for the shell of the Cannoli. It gives the shell structure along with texture.
- White wine: White wine helps tenderize the dough and achieve a crispy texture.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent for the dough of the cannoli shell and also add moisture.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese forms the creamy and indulgent filling for the Cannoli. It is known for its creamy and velvety texture, making it the perfect base for the filling.
- Pistachio paste: Pistachio paste gives a nutty flavour to the filling along with a distinct green colour.
- Sugar: In this recipe, three types of sugar have been used. Brown sugar and castor sugar are used to make the dough, while icing sugar is used to make the filling. Icing sugar complements the natural flavour of cream cheese and pistachio paste, while brown sugar and castor sugar are used to give the cannoli shell a little bit of sweetness.
How to Make Pistachio Cannoli?
Preparations: Gather all the ingredients for the recipe in the recipe box. Weigh them through a kitchen weighing scale for better results.
Make the dough: In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, castor sugar and brown sugar. Add in the cold salted butter and start rubbing with your fingertips. While rubbing, make sure you use only your fingertips and not your palms, or the butter may melt and won’t get a flaky texture on the cannolis. Add white wine and eggs to it and mix to get smooth dough. Keep it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Shaping: After 1 hour, sprinkle some all-purpose flour on a butter paper or the work surface, then place the dough. Sprinkle all-purpose flour on top of the dough as well, and roll it with a rolling pin until 2 mm thick. Cut it using a 3-inch or 3.5-inch round cutter. Now wrap the round cut dough around the cannoli tube and seal it with some water. Do the same with the remaining dough. At the same time, heat oil in a frying pan while you shape the cannoli shells.
Frying: Put 1 or 2 cannoli shells in the hot oil and let it cook. As the cannoli shell cooks fast, so keep an eye on them. Because of their shape, the cannoli shells tend to dip in one side, so try to use a tong to prevent that and cook them until it’s golden brown.
Cooling: After golden brown, remove them from the hot oil and place them on a kitchen towel so that it soaks all the excess oil. Let it cool down a bit to remove the cannoli tubes easily. After removing the tubes, let them cool down completely.
Make the filling: Meanwhile, the cannoli shells are cooling; make the filling for that. In a bowl, soften cream cheese with a spatula. Add in icing sugar and mix properly. Lastly, add in pistachio paste and give it a final mix. Transfer the filling into a piping bag and cut off the tip.
Assembly: For assembling the pistachio cannoli, pipe the filling inside the shells right before serving, or it may make the shells soggy due to moisture. Lastly, brush napping on the edges of the shell and stick chopped pistachios to make the cannolis visually appealing. Serve them right away for the best explosion of flavours.
Chef’s Tips For The Recipe
Quick Tips For Flaky Cannolis
While rubbing, make sure that you use only your fingertips and not your palms, or the butter may melt and won’t get a flaky texture on the cannolis.
Chill the dough for 1 hour before rolling out.
Tips For Hassle-Free Frying
Seal the edges properly with water or egg yolk. Otherwise, it may come off from the tube while frying.
Do not overcrowd the frying pan. Fry in small batches to ensure even cooking.
How to Store Pistachio Cannoli
You can store the dough in the refrigerator for 1 week. And in the freezer for 20 – 25 days. Make sure you cling-wrap the dough tightly before placing it in the freezer or the refrigerator.
The fried cannoli shell and the filling can be stored separately. A fried cannoli shell can be stored at room temperature for 2 – 3 days if you keep it in an air-tight container, while the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Roll out the dough thinly into 1 mm or 2 mm to achieve crispy cannoli shells. Also, make sure to drain them from the oil properly.
The best way to fill cannoli shells is by using a piping bag. Start by piping from the centre and work your way out to ensure equal distribution.
To prevent the shells from becoming soggy, fill them right before serving. Also, make sure that you place it in a kitchen towel so that it soaks excess oil.
You can store leftover pistachio cannoli in the refrigerator, but the shell may get soggy. So, I recommend consuming them on the same day.
Yes, you can make pistachio cannoli ahead of time. Keep the shells in an air-tight container after cooling them, and fill them right before serving.
