Mega Twinkannoli Recipes

Steps:

• Strain the ricotta over a bowl with a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Place in fridge overnight.
• Remove the ricotta from the fridge and & place in a food processor with blade attachment. Pulse in a food processor until the cheese is smooth.
• In a standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk ½ cup whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
• Add ricotta to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (no need to clean out bowl or whisk for this step) add both zests, vanilla, cinnamon and ½ cup of powdered sugar until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Gently fold in the cream into the cheese mixture, careful to not collapse the cream. Place in fridge for about 1 hour.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours before filling cakes.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to middle position.
• Spray two (9"L 3.5"W 2"D) loaf pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cream of tartar and set aside.
• In a small pan, heat the milk and butter on low until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the stove and whisk in the vanilla, orange zest and lemon zest.
• Separate the egg whites and yolks.
• In a standing mixer with a fitted whisk, beat the whites on high speed until the mixture becomes foamy.
• Gradually add the cream of tartar, and 6 tablespoons of sugar. Continue to beat until soft peaks form.
• Remove whites from bowl of standing mixer and set aside. In the mixer bowl, combine the egg yolks and 6 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on medium high until mixture is a light yellow color and thick. Combine whites to the yolks but do not mix.
• Sprinkle the dry mixture over the egg whites. Mix on low for about 10 seconds, or until blended. Do not over mix- this will deflate the eggs.
• Create a well in the center of the batter and add the melted butter mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold gently until thoroughly combined.
• Fill the two loaf pans about ¾ of the way high and place the loaves on a sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway, until the tops are golden and after inserting a toothpick comes out clean of crumbs or batter. Let cool completely.
• Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans. With bottom side down, create 4-6 puncture marks on the topside of the cake along the center with a rounded piping tip. Be sure to create space in the cakes for the filling.
• With a pastry bag fitted with a rounded tip, fill the cakes with the ricotta mixture until a bit billows out. After filling the cakes, flip them upside down to resemble authentic twinkies.
• Slice and serve!

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.