Chocolate Cannoli Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toast the unsalted pistachios in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Pull from oven, cool and finely chop. Place chopped pistachios in a bowl.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar until it holds a soft peak. In a large bowl fold together the whipped cream, raisins, 1/3 of the chopped chocolate, 1/3 of the chopped pistachios and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the ricotta. When ready to serve, spoon the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a fat round tip. Fill the cannoli shells from each end.
• Blend the remaining chopped chocolate and pistachios on a plate.
• To garnish: Dip each end of the cannoli into the chocolate pistachio mixture.
• Cannoli can be filled and stored in the refrigerator no more than 1 hour ahead of time.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the egg, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract until blended. Combine flour and baking powder; stir into egg mixture and mix well., Bake in a preheated pizzelle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Remove cookies and immediately shape into tubes. Place on wire racks to cool., In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon oil if desired. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat ricotta cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in custard mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon or pipe into shells. Dip each side in pistachios. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute before stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add the powdered sugar and whip to soft peaks with a hand mixer.
• In a second medium bowl, whisk the ricotta and amaretto until smooth and combined. Gently fold in half of the chocolate whipped cream to incorporate. When just a few streaks remain, add the remaining chocolate cream. Continue to fold until completely combined.
• Spoon the mousse into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag and massage it toward one corner. Snip off the corner. Insert the snipped tip of the bag into the middle of a cannoli shell and gently squeeze to fill the shell, pulling out as you go. Repeat on the opposite end of the shell. Dip each end in the chopped almonds, then press a cherry into both ends. Repeat with the remaining shells.
• Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for up to an hour. Sift some powdered sugar over the top before serving.

Steps:

• Make the filling: Line a sieve with a layer of cheesecloth, and set over a bowl. Spoon ricotta into sieve. Cover, and let drain in the refrigerator overnight.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat ricotta and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in chocolate chips, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Make the shells: Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add Marsala and oil, and beat on medium speed until dough comes together. Using your hands, knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Pass 1 piece of dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine (keep remaining pieces covered). Continue passing through narrower settings until it is the thickness of a dime. Lay on a floured work surface. Cut out rounds with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Gather scraps and reroll.
• Pour enough oil into a large, heavy saucepan to come about 4 inches up sides. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees.
• Wrap each round of dough around a 3 3/4-inch-long cannoli form, sealing with a dab of egg white. Working in batches of 3 or 4, fry until golden, about 1 minute. Using a wire skimmer or tongs, transfer to paper towels, and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully slide out forms, and let shells cool. Continue rolling, cutting, and frying the remaining dough.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip one end of each cannoli shell into chocolate and then into pistachios. Let set 15 minutes on parchment paper.
• Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (such as Ateco #826). Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

Steps:

• For filling, Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla in a medium bowl; Stir or beat until smooth, fold in chocolate pieces; Cover and chill.
• Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip; Pipe filling into cones.
• Sift powdered sugar over cones; Chill UP TO 1 Hour.
• Don't let set longer, they will get soggy.

Steps:

• Prepare basic cream puff recipe as above. Let cool.
• Heat milk in large heavy saucepan until bubbles appear around edge. Beat egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with wire whisk or mixer until pale yellow and thick. Beat in flour until well mixed. Gradually beat in hot milk; pour all back into saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over moderately high heat until mixture thickens and comes to boiling, lower heat. Mixture will be lumpy in the beginning, but lumps disappear during cooking and stirring. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes, over low heat, stirring constantly. Mixture will be quite thick.
• Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Place a piece of wax paper directly on surface of filling to prevent skin from forming.
• Chill at least 2 hours. If filling becomes too stiff after it's chilled, gradually stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• To make chocolate filling following the directions for Vanilla Custard Filling, adding 1tbs + 1tsp chocolate coco powder stirring until combine. Continue with rest of recipe. Fill puffs just before serving.

Steps:

• In an electric mixer or food processor, combine the ricotta, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and well blended. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.