Cannoli Cream Parfaits Recipes

Steps:

• Place the unsweetened chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk in sugar substitute and thin with the hot water and heavy cream. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Remove from heat, spread on a plate, and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Cut into small chunks after chilling.
• While the chocolate is chilling, make the cannoli cream. With an electric mixer on high, whip heavy cream just until frothy, and then add sugar substitute and almond and vanilla extracts. Continue to whip on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or cream will break.
• Gently fold in the ricotta cheese and almost all of the chilled chocolate chunks, saving a few chips for garnish. Spoon cannoli cream into parfait glasses, top with remaining chocolate chips, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• Drain cherries, reserving liquid in a 1-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 1/3 cup; set aside., In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in reserved cherry juice mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cherries and lemon juice. Cool., Place the ricotta, cream cheese and sugar in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Add the syrup, lemon juice and vanilla; process until combined. Gently fold in whipped topping and chocolate chips., Place 1 tablespoon crushed wafers in each of eight parfait glasses. Top with 1/3 cup cheese mixture and a heaping tablespoonful of cherry sauce. Repeat layers. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.,

Steps:

• For the shell dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add the egg yolk and the white wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
• To roll and fry the shells: In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil, and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.
• To fill the cannolis: Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli molds. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and amaretto. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a large bowl, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form (tips curl). In a medium bowl, stir half of the whipped cream into the ricotta to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream and cinnamon. Fold the pistachios into cream mixture.
• Place a layer of crushed amaretti cookies in each of 4 parfait glasses. Top each with a layer of strawberry slices and then cannoli cream. Repeat layering. If desired, top with miniature chocolate chips.

Steps:

• Mix ricotta cheese, sugar, orange zest and juice in large bowl until well blended.
• Add whipped topping, chocolate chips, apricots and raisins; stir gently until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
• Layer one half each of the cheese mixture and wafers in four dessert dishes; repeat layers.