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Apple Cannoli

Prep Time:30 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 minutes

Pipe a sweet-tart apple filling and creamy ricotta into crunchy cannoli shells for a crowd-pleasing dessert. If you prefer, you can use a small offset spatula to remove the cannoli shells from the hot oil: Insert the end of the spatula into the opening of the mold and lift to remove from oil.

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup marsala wine
  • 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 large granny smith apples, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 (16 ounce) tub whole milk ricotta cheese, drained (see "draining ricotta," below)
  • 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
Directions:
  1. For dough, stir together flour, white sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Make a well in the center.
  2. Add egg, Marsala, water, and vinegar to well. Mix with a fork until dough starts to come together. Transfer to a flour-dusted work surface; knead until dough forms a ball, about 10 minutes, adding 1 teaspoon water as needed. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
  3. For apple filling, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft, about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice and cornstarch; add to apple mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool completely. Transfer cooled mixture to a pastry bag.
  4. For ricotta filling, stir together drained ricotta and powdered sugar in a large bowl; fold in lemon zest. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag.
  5. To shape and fry shells, divide dough into 2 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 ball into a 16- to 18-inch circle, about 1/16 inch thick or less. Using a 4- to 5-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles. Dust circles with a light coating of flour. (This will help you later in removing shells from cannoli tube molds.) Roll each dough circle around a cannoli tube, sealing edges with a bit of egg white. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
  6. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a deep, heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot or deep fryer; heat to 375°F. (You’ll need about 1 quart oil.) Working in batches, fry shells on tubes, turning halfway through, until golden, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer shells to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain.
  7. Let stand just until tubes are cool enough to handle, then carefully twist each tube to remove shell. (Using a kitchen towel may help your grip.) Wash or wipe off tubes to use for remaining shells, if needed.
  8. To assemble, pipe apple filling into shells, filling two-thirds full from center to one end and repeating on other side. Repeat piping method with ricotta filling. Garnish cannoli with powdered sugar.
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