Another thing that i learned in Italy.....how to make real cannoli filling. Joe's cousin, Caterina is married to Alessio, who owns a bakery in Milan. We would go there a few times while we were there and you saw the most amazing cookies and pastries. His father was so sweet and would offer us these goodies. Fresh brioche with nutella filling, lobster tails, cookies, and even gelato. Of course they had cannoli's as well. Joe had to ask how they make the filling because there is nothing like the real deal standing in a bakery in Italy.
CANNOLI FILLING
1 Large container of Ricotta
3-4 tsp of vanilla
1/2 cup of sugar
Large Cannoli shells
Dump the ricotta in a bowel and stir, then add in the vanilla and sugar. Taste. If you need it to be sweeter add another 1/2 cup of sugar. Then chill before using as filling. You can add chocolate chips into the mix if you want or add them onto the ends of the cannolis.
IDEAS
I use this filling for cakes and cupcakes. For the cupcakes I make normal white ones and when they are cooled I carve out the middle without hitting the bottom, and save the top of the cupcake. I then pipe in the filling and put the top back on and then pipe on the frosting and add crumbled cannoli shells as an accent. The cake I make two vanilla round cakes and use the cannoli filling in the middle then frost with vanilla frosting and again add the shells to the top.
1 Large container of Ricotta
3-4 tsp of vanilla
1/2 cup of sugar
Large Cannoli shells
Dump the ricotta in a bowel and stir, then add in the vanilla and sugar. Taste. If you need it to be sweeter add another 1/2 cup of sugar. Then chill before using as filling. You can add chocolate chips into the mix if you want or add them onto the ends of the cannolis.
IDEAS
I use this filling for cakes and cupcakes. For the cupcakes I make normal white ones and when they are cooled I carve out the middle without hitting the bottom, and save the top of the cupcake. I then pipe in the filling and put the top back on and then pipe on the frosting and add crumbled cannoli shells as an accent. The cake I make two vanilla round cakes and use the cannoli filling in the middle then frost with vanilla frosting and again add the shells to the top.