Skip to content

The dessert, Mediterranean

Sicilian cannoli

Sicilian cannoli are an Italian dessert made of a crisp fried shell filled with a sweet ricotta cream, chocolate and pistachios. For 6 people, this takes about 70 minutes of active work, a medium difficulty, and roughly €2.20 per person. The dough and filling can be made the day before, but the shells get filled only right before serving so they stay crisp.

Sicilian cannoli, a crisp shell filled right in front of you with ricotta cream, chocolate and pistachios.

Sicilian cannoli
For
6 people
Work
1 h 10
Total time
3 h 10
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

A cannolo gets its character from the contrast between the thin, crisp fried shell and the fresh ricotta cream, lightly sweet, scented with orange zest and studded with chocolate chips. Crushed pistachios add one more layer of crunch at each end. It's a dessert you eat with your hands in two or three bites, and it always gets a bit of a reaction at the table.

This is the dessert for a dinner with friends or a family gathering where you want to impress without spending the whole day in the kitchen. The dough and the cream come together the day before, leaving only the filling to do in front of your guests, which turns into a small show of its own. It fits well at the end of a Mediterranean menu, after pasta or fish, any time of year.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 2 steps, 1 h
  2. The same day 2 steps, 10 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, drain the ricotta and make the cannoli dough, which rests in the fridge overnight. In the morning, roll out the dough, shape and fry the shells, they keep well at room temperature in an airtight container. Right before your guests arrive, make the ricotta cream, and fill the shells only at serving time, in front of everyone if you want the small show.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • All-purpose flouroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 30 g
  • Unsweetened cocoa powderoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • White wine or marsala 10 cl
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 1 l
  • Powdered sugaroften in the pantry 100 g
  • Chocolate chips 80 g
  • Crushed unsalted pistachios 50 g

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g
  • Egg 1
  • Ricotta 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Organic orange 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs, Tree nuts

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Drain the ricotta in a sieve with a weight on top to remove as much water as possible.

    Well drained ricotta gives a firm cream that won't soak the shells.

  2. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, softened butter and egg, add the wine little by little, knead, then let the dough rest in the fridge. 1 h

    Add the wine in stages, the dough should stay firm enough to roll out very thin.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Roll out the dough very thin, cut out 10 cm rounds, wrap them around cannoli tubes and seal the seam with a little water.

    No tubes? Use wooden spoon handles wrapped tightly in aluminum foil.

  2. Fry the shells in oil at 180°C until golden, drain, and remove the tubes. 10 min

    Remove the tubes while the shells are still warm, they slide off without breaking.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Sift the ricotta, mix it with the powdered sugar, orange zest and chocolate chips.

    Pushing the ricotta through a sieve makes the cream silky with no grain.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Fill a piping bag, fill each shell from both ends, and dip the tips in the crushed pistachios.

    Pipe from the center outward so no gap is left inside.

Our tips to get it right

  • Work the dough on a floured surface and roll it out as thin as possible, almost see-through, that's what gives a light shell rather than a thick, hard one.
  • Test the oil temperature with a small piece of dough before frying the shells, at 180°C it should rise immediately and sizzle.
  • Always make a few extra shells, some crack when you remove the tubes, so it's good to have a margin.

The variations

  • Swap the chocolate chips for small diced candied fruit for a more traditional, less sweet version.
  • For an alcohol-free version, replace the white wine or marsala with apple juice or sparkling water in the dough.
  • For kids, make mini cannoli with smaller tubes and let them dip the ends in pistachios themselves.

What to serve it with

  • A strong espresso to finish the meal
  • A sweet wine like muscat or marsala
  • A fresh orange salad before dessert

Storage

Empty shells keep 2 to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container, the ricotta cream keeps 2 days in the fridge in a closed container. Never fill the shells ahead of time, they soften within an hour, and freezing isn't recommended for this dessert.

Questions about this recipe

Can you fill the cannoli ahead of time to save effort?

No, this is the one step you should never do early. The ricotta softens the shell within an hour and the dessert loses the crunch that makes it worth making.

Can you use mascarpone or cream instead of ricotta?

Ricotta is the core ingredient of a cannolo, it's what gives that light, slightly grainy texture once sifted. It's better not to replace it, just drain it well the day before so it doesn't release water.

How do you make cannoli without special tubes?

Wooden spoon handles wrapped tightly in aluminum foil work very well to shape the shells. What matters is a cylinder about 1.5 cm wide that can handle the heat of frying.

How should you serve cannoli at a dinner with friends?

Arrange the filled shells on a long platter with the pistachio ends facing out, and dust a little powdered sugar right before serving. You can also bring the shells unfilled to the table and do the filling in front of your guests.

Can some Sicilian cannoli be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 1 h 10 of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 2 steps, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make some Sicilian cannoli?

Allow 3 h 10 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 1 h 10 is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in some Sicilian cannoli?

About 450 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does some Sicilian cannoli cost?

About €2.20 per person, that's €13.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs, tree nuts. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Italian antipasti board The appetizer

Mediterranean

Italian antipasti board

  • 20 min of work
  • Finished at the last minute
  • Very easy, €4.20 per person

380 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Desserts for entertaining

See all
Linzer torte The dessert

From around the world

Linzer torte

  • 40 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Medium, €1.80 per person

480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Cherry clafoutis The dessert

Regional

Cherry clafoutis

  • 20 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Very easy, €1.10 per person

290 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

Red wine poached pears The dessert

Light and fresh

Red wine poached pears

  • 25 min of work
  • Prepared the day before
  • Easy, €1.90 per person

230 kcalcalculated by Kiloach