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The sweet Cannolo is one of the most popular and well-known Sicilian sweets in the world. Its delicacy stays in the crunchy fried shell and the sweet ricotta cream's softness, embellished by pieces of chocolate and candied fruit. A real work of art!
The history of its origins is uncertain, as there are no complete texts on its creation, but we are sure that it has ancient roots. Cicero himself in 70 BC. to talk about a tube of flour filled with milk cream, providing information on a dessert very similar to cannoli, probably one of its first versions. When ricotta cream, it is thought that it originates from the Arab culture; in fact, they were the first to mix fresh ricotta with sugar. Some historians argue that the cannoli was born from the inventiveness of the cloistered nuns. In contrast, others think that it was Arab women who lived in the harems of Caltanissetta who created this delight. Still, others believe that the dessert is the result of carnival jokes; in short, the true story behind the dessert will forever remain a mystery!
On the other hand, his recipe is not a mystery! I have often made the traditional recipe of Sicilian cannoli at home, and I must admit that it was effortless and fun to make.
I propose the version that I made myself. Let's start with the ingredients for about ten cannoli.
For the cannolo shell:
- 250 g of flour
- 25 g of butter
- 20 g of sugar
- 50 ml of Marsala wine or dry red wine
- 30 ml of vinegar
- 5 g of cocoa
- a pinch of salt
- oil for frying
For the ricotta cream:
- 800 g of sheep ricotta
- 350 g of sugar
- 200 g of chocolate chips
To garnish:
- candied orange peel or candied cherries (optional)
- powdered sugar
Let's start with the ricotta cream.
Drain the ricotta in a colander and place it in the refrigerator until it has lost the whey, then sift it, mix it well in a bowl together with the sugar and add the chocolate chips last.
Let's continue with the cannolo shells.
On a pastry board, mix the flour, sifted, sugar, cocoa, salt, vinegar, and lard cut into small pieces, gradually adding a little Marsala until the dough is elastic, smooth, and firm. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Roll out the dough until you get a thin sheet of fewer than 2 millimeters, then cut out discs with a 9-10 cm diameter. Wrap the dough shapes around the metal cylinders, wetting the edges of the dough with water before welding them on each other.
Fry the cannoli rinds in boiling lard until golden and solid. Then, place the Sicilian cannoli peel on absorbent paper and let them cool before removing the metal cylinders.
Assembly.
With the help of a pastry bag, introduce the ricotta cream into the rinds of the cannoli just before consuming them to ensure the rind's crunchiness. Finally, sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish the ends with candied fruit.
But now let's talk about cannoli made by professionals. The Cannolo Festival has been held for three years in Palermo. The last one in 2019 celebrated two winners: the Caffè del Corso dei Fratelli Biscari in Santa Cristina Gela (PA), which won for the third consecutive year the title of best cannoli in Sicily, designated by the almost 7 thousand visitors of the festival, and the Vultaggio Bar in Fulgatore (TP), on the other hand, got the vote of the technical jury. Unfortunately, this delicious initiative has been suspended due to the pandemic, but we can't wait to taste the creations offered in the following editions!
At Majolica, we never abandon our gluttonous spirit, so we have dedicated the leading role in various experiences in our culinary tours to this pastry wonder. One above all, our Sicily Food Tour, not to be missed if you are a gourmand and if you want to immerse yourself in the richness and abundance of Sicilian cuisine!
