Cannoli for Thanksgiving!!

NOTE: Blogger is not allowing to to spellheck or upload photos. Am following up with them. Anyone with any ideas on how to resolve this please help!!!!

The Daring Bakers November Challenge was Cannoli. my nearest connection to to Cannoli has been the crazy and ever popular TV show: Everybody Loves Raymond!! Who can for get the episodes when his mother 'pops in' with fresh home made cannoli for her darling boy next door :)

And though I have often eyed this dessert at my favourite Italian restaurant, I never really could pluck up the courage to order it. The idea that I could and indeed would bake the very same dessert for Thanksgiving weekend really got me excited!! As I mention below, I did the baked version as I just could not deal with all the frying. Its been a very busy couple of months and I have been cooking like crazy for some do or the other. The thought of any extended frying just put me off. But I would like to note here that I do have every intention of trying the fried version of this recipe at some later date.

Baked Cannoli with an Orange-Cardamom Mascarpone Filling is my version of this challenge! I made cannoli shapes baked in the oven and served them with an Orange-Cardamom Mascarpone filling and fresh fruit.

The complete details of the recipe, complete with tips, notes, and further reading as proposed by Lisa follows below.

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

Lisa writes, "Cannoli are known as Italian-American pastries, although the origin of cannoli dates back to Sicily, specifically Palermo, where it was prepared during Carnevale season, and according to lore, as a symbol of fertility. The cannoli is a fried, tube-shaped pastry shell (usually containing wine) filled with a creamy amalgamation of sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate, candied fruit or zest, and sometimes nuts. Although not traditional, mascarpone cheese is also widely used, and in fact, makes for an even creamier filling when substituted for part of the ricotta, or by itself. However, cannoli can also be filled with pastry creams, mousses, whipped cream, ice cream etc. You could also add your choice of herbs, zests or spices to the dough, if desired. Marsala is the traditional wine used in cannoli dough, but any red or white wine will work fine, as it’s not only added for flavor or color, but to relax the gluten in the dough since it can be a stiff dough to work with. By the way, the name ‘Lidisano’ is a combination of Lidia, Lisa and Sopranos..LOL"

Equipment:
Cannoli forms/tubes - optional, but recommended if making traditional shaped cannoli. Dried cannelloni pasta tubes work just as well!
Deep, heavy saucepan, enough to hold at least 2-3-inches of oil or deep fryer
Deep fat frying thermometer. although the bread cube or bit of dough test will work fine.
Metal tongs
Brass or wire skimmer OR large slotted spoon
Pastry bag with large star or plain tip, but a snipped ziplock bag, butter knife or teaspoon will work fine.
Cooling rack
Paper bags or paper towels
Pastry Brush
Cheesecloth
Sieve or fine wire mesh strainer
Electric Mixer, stand or hand, optional, as mixing the filling with a spoon is fine.
Food Processor or Stand Mixer – also optional, since you can make the dough by hand, although it takes more time.
Rolling pin and/or Pasta roller/machine
Pastry or cutting board
Round cutters - The dough can also be cut into squares and rolled around the cannoli tube prior to frying. If making a stacked cannoli, any shaped cutter is fine, as well as a sharp knife.
Mixing bowl and wooden spoon if mixing filling by hand
Plastic Wrap/Clingfilm
Tea towels or just cloth towels

The Cannoli should be 6-8 inch long by 3/4 to 1 inch circumference cannoli forms aka your basic cannoli form size

Variations: And there can be endless. In Lisa's words: "The filling is YOUR choice! Anything you want to fill them with is perfectly fine, sweet or savory, or you can use the filling recipe provided – making whatever changes you want to it. Cannoli would make a great addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table/spread. In many Italian households, during the holidays, cannoli is always part of the dessert offerings. You could also make a Thanksgiving themed cannoli, like pumpkin cannoli (I came up with a great pumpkin filling recipe below) or apples, pecans, walnuts, any dried fruits etc. An idea to gussy up your cannoli is; dipping the rims of the shell in melted chocolate and rolling in chopped nuts or sprinkles, then letting them set prior to filling. Dipping or pressing mini chocolate chips into the filled ends OR just stirring mini chocolate chips into the filling prior to stacking or filling whatever shaped shells you come up with, is another great idea and makes a nice presentation The sky is the limit here, be creative! Naturally, if you have any dietary restrictions, by all means, go with it. I’ve provided a link to a gluten-free cannoli recipe and a slightly savory vegan cannoli recipe to help get you started. "

Cannoli can be baked too!! Much like many of us, I prefer to avoid deep frying unless essential - especially during the holiday season, when temptations already abound. So I decided to bake the cannoli shell. A good site for understanding how to bake them is: http://www.ifood.tv/network/cannoli/recipes

Lidisano’s Cannoli
Makes 22-24 4-inch cannoli
Prep time:
Dough – 2 hours and 10-20 minutes, including resting time, and depending on whether you do it by hand or machine.
Filling – 5-10 minutes plus chilling time (about 2 hours or more)
Frying – 1-2 minutes per cannoli
Baking:
Assemble – 20–30 minutes

RECIPE NOTE: THE EQUIVALENTS FROM THIS RECIPE WERE PREPARED USING THIS CONVERSION SITE: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/index.asp.

Ingredients for Cannoli Shells:
2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 tsp (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 tsp (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tbsp (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala or any white or red wine you have on hand
1 large egg, separated (you will need the egg white but not the yolk)
Vegetable or any neutral oil for frying – about 2 quarts (8 cups/approx. 2 litres)
1/2 cup (approx. 62 grams/2 ounces) toasted, chopped pistachio nuts, mini chocolate chips/grated chocolate and/or candied or plain zests, fruits etc.. for garnish
Confectioners' sugar

Note - If you want a chocolate cannoli dough, substitute a few tablespoons of the flour (about 25%) with a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process) and a little more wine until you have a workable dough (Thanks to Audax).

Ingredients for Cannoli Filling:
2 lbs (approx. 3.5 cups/approx. 1 kg/32 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it), sifted
1/2 tsp (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract or the beans from one vanilla bean
3 tbsp (approx. 28 grams/approx. 1 ounce) finely chopped good quality chocolate of your choice
2 tbsp (12 grams/0.42 ounces) of finely chopped, candied orange peel, or the grated zest of one small to medium orange
3 tbsp (23 grams/0.81 ounce) toasted, finely chopped pistachios

Note - If you want chocolate ricotta filling, add a few tablespoons of dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to the above recipe, and thin it out with a few drops of warm water if too thick to pipe.

Method for Shells:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight.
2. Cut the dough into two pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work. Lightly flour a large cutting or pastry board and roll the dough until super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8” thick (An area of about 13 inches by 18 inches should give you that). Cut out 3 to 5-inch circles (3-inch – small/medium; 4-inch – medium/large; 5-inch;- large. Your choice). Roll the cut out circle into an oval, rolling it larger and thinner if it’s shrunk a little.
3. Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little.
4. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags.
5. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
6. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill.
7. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough.
8. Cannoli shell preparation, cutting out the dough circles, sealing the dough around the form, frying the shells, finished shells ready to fill

Pasta Machine Method for Shells:

1. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through
2. Continue rolling out the remaining dough. If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.
3. Roll, cut out and fry the cannoli shells as according to the directions above.

For Stacked Cannoli:

1. Heat 2-inches of oil in a saucepan or deep sauté pan, to 350-375°F (176 - 190 °C).
2. Cut out desired shapes with cutters or a sharp knife. Deep fry until golden brown and blistered on each side, about 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from oil with wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, then place on paper towels or bags until dry and grease free. If they balloon up in the hot oil, dock them lightly prior to frying. Place on cooling rack until ready to stack with filling.

Method for Filling:
Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight.

1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl and stir in chocolate, zest and nuts.
2. Chill until firm.(The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

Assembling the Cannoli:
When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it’s messier and will take longer.

1. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end.
2. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired. /li>

Pumpkin Filling:
1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin, drained like ricotta
3/4 cup (75 grams/2.65 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells

1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

Fill the shells as directed above. I dipped the ends of the shells in caramelized sugar and rolled them in toasted, chopped pecans. Top row - left to right: Filling the cannoli, variety of cannoli Bottom row - left to right: Stacked cannoli, pumpkin cannoli

Tips & Notes:
Dough must be stiff and well kneaded.

• Rolling the dough to paper thinness, using either a rolling pin or pasta machine, is very important. If the dough is not rolled thin enough, it will not blister, and good cannoli should have a blistered surface.
• Initially, this dough is VERY stubborn, but keep rolling, it eventually gives in. Before cutting the shapes, let the dough rest a bit, covered, as it tends to spring back into a smaller shapes once cut. Then again, you can also roll circles larger after they’re cut, and/or into ovals, which gives you more space for filling.
• Your basic set of round cutters usually doesn’t contain a 5-inch cutter. Try a plastic container top, bowl etc, or just roll each circle to 5 inches. There will always be something in your kitchen that’s round and 5-inches if you want large cannoli.
• Oil should be at least 3 inches deep and hot – 360°F-375°F, or you’ll end up with greasy shells. I prefer 350°F - 360°F because I felt the shells darkened too quickly at 375°F.
• If using the cannoli forms, when you drop the dough on the form into the oil, they tend to sink to the bottom, resulting in one side darkening more. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to gently lift and roll them while frying.
• DO NOT crowd the pan. Cannoli should be fried 2-4 at a time, depending on the width of your saucepan or deep fryer. Turn them once, and lift them out gently with a slotted spoon/wire skimmer and tongs. Just use a wire strainer or slotted spoon for flat cannoli shapes.
• When the cannoli turns light brown - uniform in color, watch it closely or remove it. If it’s already a deep brown when you remove it, you might end up with a really dark or slightly burnt shell.
• Depending on how much scrap you have left after cutting out all of your cannoli shapes, you can either fry them up and sprinkle with confectioners sugar for a crispy treat, or let the scraps rest under plastic wrap and a towel, then re-roll and cut more cannoli shapes.
• Push forms out of cannoli very gently, being careful not to break the shells as they are very delicate. DO NOT let the cannoli cool on the form, or you may never get it off without it breaking. Try to take it off while still hot. Hold it with a cloth in the center, and push the form out with a butter knife or the back of a spoon.
• When adding the confectioners sugar to the filling..TASTE. You may like it sweeter than what the recipe calls for, or less sweet, so add in increments.
• Fill cannoli right before serving! If you fill them an hour or so prior, you’ll end up with soggy cannoli shells.
• If you want to prepare the shells ahead of time, store them in an airtight container, then re-crisp in a 350°F (176 °C) oven for a few minutes, before filling.
• Practice makes perfect. My first batch of shells came out less than spectacular, and that’s an understatement. As you go along, you’ll see what will make them more aesthetically pleasing, and adjust accordingly when rolling. My next several batches turned out great. Don’t give up!!

Links:

Alternative:
Gluten free cannoli recipe that looks great –
http://evilcakelady.blogspot.com/2009/02/annmaries-gf-birthday-cannoli.h...
Vegan cannoli –
http://www.godairyfree.org/Alisa-s-Blog/Alisa-s-Milk-Free-Blog/Vegan-Can...
http://community.livejournal.com/vegancooking/2307428.html#cutid1

Online resources:
http://www.pastrysampler.com/Questions_and_Answers/cannoli.htm
http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/01/hey-jerzeeeeeee-i-want-to-make-c...

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cannoli&search_type=&aq=f – scroll through, loads of videos on the making of the shells. filling, etc. Mario Batali’s are particularly good.

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=cannoli&m=text – Loads of beautiful and unique cannoli photos along with the traditional. Great way to get some ideas for fillings and décor.

Online retailers for cannoli forms:
http://www.fantes.com/cannoli.html#small
https://www.pastrychef.com/CANNOLI-TUBES_p_36-1202.html - If you want to buy a lot of them for one set price.
http://www.consiglios.ca/ProductCart/pc/viewCat_h.aspidCategory=408&gcli...
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=...

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2009. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

A.W.E.D. Malaysia - The Roundup

The roundup for A.W.E.D Malaysia is here!! Both sweet and savoury contributions have come in. I would like to thanks everyone who participated and contributed to this event. Do stop by at each of these entries to get the full flavour of Malaysian cooking :)

First, from Priya @ Priya's Easy N Tasty Recipes comes Vegan Cucur Kodok or the very delicious Malaysian Banana Fritters to the uninitiated!!

Next comes Curry Puff from Usha Nandini @ Usha Nandini's Recipes. Usha Nandini notes that the Curry puff is a cousin of samosa from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. It is a "Fill-It-Yourself" snack due to its choices of wide varieties of fillings suitable to your taste.

Jill @ Smart Green Gourmet writes, "Inspired by fellow bloggers Annarasa and D.K., I'm trying out some Malaysian cuisine this week as part of the A.W.E.D. (A World of Epicurian Delights) event hosted by Annarasa. Beautiful, flavorful Malaysia inspires a soup loaded with flu-fighting foods, the perfect quick fix cure for your change-of-seasons cold." The soup in question is the Malaysian-Inspired Sweet and Sour Tofu Soup.


Sudha @ Malaysian Delicacies sends in the very lovely looking Pressed Rice, Vegetable Stew with Groundnut Gravy . Beautiful rice dumplings steamed in banana leaves are served with a thin coconut milk gravy stew, and groundnut sauce!! Mmmm - you don't want to miss out on this one.

Alesia @ Alesia The Home Cook has made one of her favourite desserts for A.W.E.D Malaysia: Sago Gula Melaka. Alesia write that she loves this dessert as it is easy to make and it's not time consuming at all. Further the ingredients can be obtained at almost every Asian stores. This is a wonderful dish as it combines the tasteless yet springy sago with the fragrant coconut milk and the sweet aromatic gula melaka.

Sweatha @ TastyCurryLeaf sends in Gendan Kasturi or Sweet Mung Bean Fritters made Malaysian style!! A very simple recipe with a very satisfying taste.

Swathi @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen sends in the delicious Kuih Dadar or Coconut Pancake! Swathi selected this dish because it resembles a breakfast dish common in her home town Kerala, India. She says this dish is usually popular in malls, food courts, and street vendors in the mornings or night. Needless to say Swathi is a big fan of street food which she quite rightly observes is often tastier that food at restaurants!!

DK @ The Chef In You sends in her contribution with Roti-Canai. A flaky and soft albeit rich bread, this is a delicious recipe that DK explains in no less than 2 variations!!

And finally one from yours truly!! Steamed Malaysian Dumplings to be found @ my blog Annarasa - Essesence of Food. These are a family favourite and a regular at my home. Try them, you will love them.

If your contribution is missing from this roundup, please email me and I will add your entry here pronto.


All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2009. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Oven Toasted Pepitas

Having carved our very first Jack-o-Lantern this year, I was left with a lot of Pepitas a.k.a fresh pumpkin seeds.

I love toasted pumpkin seeds and they used to be fairly easily available in India. In fact they were a staple snack during the winter months. While we get pumpkin seeds here, they are usually unpeeled in very small batches - besides their skin is pretty tough, they can never be a hit on family game night!!

Here is a great time-tested recipe for making your very own oven toasted pumpkin seeds. They are crunchy, fragrant, spicy, and munchie - need I say more:) Well, I could add that pumpkin seeds are protein rich and packed with nutrients like magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese!! They are anti-inflammatory, great for your bones, and can contribute to lowering your bad cholesterol.

Ingredients:
1 batch pumpkin seeds around 2 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper coarsely ground), to taste

Method:

1. Scoop out all the seeds from the pumpkin. Discard as much of the flesh that comes attached with the seeds as possible by hand.
2. Place the seeds and any flesh you are not able to remove in a large bowl. Pour running cold water over them till the bowl is full. Rub the seeds between the palms of your hand, then pull the seeds out into another clean bowl filled with cold water. Repeat until all the goop is off the seeds and the seeds feel squeaky clean.
3. Place the seeds with 1 tsp salt in boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and pat dry. Leave out to dry completely for 2-4 hours.
4. Season with olive oil, salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Turn out evenly onto a cookie sheet. Toast in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes or depending on the quantity until they are golden and fragrant.

These lovely snackers can be served immediately, they taste divine when warm. If they survive, cool completely, and store in an airtight container for later. If storing for longer, make sure you stick them in the freezer!!

This recipe goes out to Yasmeen @ Health Nut for her ongoing event: Health Nut Challenge 3: Healing Foods.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2009. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.

Steamed Malaysian Dumplings

Here's my contribution for A.W.E.D. Malaysia: Steamed Vegetable Dumplings served with a spicy ginger sauce. These dumplings are really delicious and they are a favourite at our home. As it is really easy to get dumpling wrappers here, I make them quite often. Besides I love my bamboo steaming basket, which I purchased a couple of years ago at a tiny but exceedingly well-stocked Asian store, run quite coincidentally by a Malaysian family!! Here is the recipe.


Ingredients
1/2 cup carrots, minced
1/2 cup bok choi, minced
1/2 cup zucchini, minced
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1 teaspoon rice wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 inch grated ginger
1 pack potsticker/dumpling wrappers

Method:

1. Combine the chopped vegetables, ginger, and all seasonings together. Set aside to marinate for at least half an hour.
2. To make dumplings, take a wrapper. Then place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Using your finger, pat a little warm water around the edge of the skin. Fold the dumpling, seal the edges.
   
3. Repeat the same for the rest.
4. Place the dumplings in a bamboo steamer (lined with fresh cabbage leaves). Then steam for 10-14 minutes. Serve immediately with your favourite dipping sauce.
   

A.W.E.D Malaysia this month is hosted by this blog - Annarasa-The Essence of Food. A big thanks to everyone who has participated and sent in lovely recipe for this event. The round-up will be posted shortly.

All text and photographs in this blog, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright of © Annarasa 2007 - 2009. All Rights Reserved. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.