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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Homemade Cannoli

Good Evening my friends!
This blog has been a little hard to get out to you.  As you know I also have a YouTube channel and this recipe is also going there.  What you also know is I am 2 weeks out of a cornea transplant.  I am only able to sit at the computer about 20 minutes at a time before I have to rest my eye.  However, since nobody has time for that kind of nonsense, I have my eye patch on and I am getting this out to you this evening come hell or high water!


 My daughter in law has literally been asking me to make these with her for 4 years.  Yes, seriously.  I don't know what caused me to dive into this 6 days out of surgery but I did.  It was a fun day spent together and the outcome was nothing short of heaven.  Jersey girls looking for real cannoli in the midwest doesn't usually work out so well for us.  No pudding, no custard.  The fakery must be stopped!  This filling is true sweetened ricotta, with a custard like base.  It is perfection.  Just the way we love them!


Use chocolate chips or don't.  Use dried pieces of fruit or don't.  Use pistachios, or don't.  These are your cannolis!  I like mine plain, but we did most with chocolate chips!  It isn't a hard process but it is a bit of a lengthy one.  You WILL NEED CANNOLI FORMS!  You can find them almost anywhere these days!

Shells:
2 cups Flour
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Sugar (White Granulated)
2 TBSP Unsweetened Cocoa
1 TSP Cinnamon
1/2 cup Seltzer Water or Marsala Wine

(You can do this in a bowl with a fork or pastry cutter, but I am using my food processor)
In your food processor add, flour, butter, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon.  Pule until ingredients are in crumbs.  Add in seltzer water slowly, pulsiing until mixture is combined.  Your dough should be wet enough to hold together but not sticky.  If it is a little dry add a bit more water, if it is sticky add just a wee bit more flour, it is pretty forgiving that way.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest.

Filling:
2 cups Milk
3/4 cup Cornstarch
2 cups Sugar
2 LBS Ricotta Cheese
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2 cups Mini Chocolate Chips

NOTE: This will make extra filling.  I will put a link at the end for a recipe to use it for, or freeze it for later cannoli making!
In a large pot add milk, cornstarch and sugar.  Slowly bring to a boil and stir constantly until thickened.  Transfer to a bowl and let sit, covered, in the refrigerator until COMPLETELY cooled!  When it is cooled, place mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer or use a hand mixer and add ricotta cheese and vanilla.  Mix until smooth and well combined.  I used the whisk attachment on mine for about 30 seconds at the end.  Place back in the refrigerator.

To make the shells, roll out your dough as thin as possible without it ripping.  Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut circles out of the dough.  Wrap around your cannoli forms and using an egg wash, brush the sides that lay on each other to seal your shell!  Continue with all of your dough or as with as many forms as you have.

Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry a few at a time until golden brown.  About 4-6 minutes.  Place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, let sit for a couple of minutes and remove form.  You may need to use tongs, if they are still hot.  Make sure to let the shells cool completely to make sure they are as done and hardened as they should be (the first batch) so you can adjust if needed!

When all of your shells are fried and cooled, using a piping bag or food storage bag with the corner cut off to fill your cannolis!  Make sure to add a few chocolate chips to the ends so they can be seen!

ENJOY!
Buon Appetito!



SAVE THAT EXTRA FILLING!  Freeze it and use it for the holidays or later with this recipe!
Mini Cannoli Bites




Sunday, October 14, 2018

White Chocolate Pumpkin Nut Muffins

Hello my friends!

I am coming to you from my office, sitting at my desk with fluffy socks, leggings and a sweatshirt.  FALL HAS FALLEN!  At least I hope it has.  I mean, the heater isn't coming on anytime soon, but, it is supposed to freeze tonight I believe.  I would like to see more of the sun but I am grateful for what I get.




As most of you know, I go in Tuesday for a right eye cornea transplant.  I had intended to get more recipes out but the last couple of weeks have been filled with nerves, to do lists and did I mention, nerves?  It has been hard to concentrate but hopefully I will get a few ready for you to be able to post while I am down.



This recipe is one I started making last fall.  It is super easy, super, "Fall-ish", and super good, which is definitely the most important part!  We love muffins at our house and you will find a ton of muffin recipes on my website.  I will link to some others at the end!

Here is what you will need:
White Cake Mix
15 oz can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tsp cinnamon (you can also use pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts of your choice (I used slivered almonds, YUM)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  This recipe should yield about 16 muffins.  Line  your muffin tin with liners and set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix until combined.  You could use your stand mixer, but it is so easy to mix up quickly by hand, don't create the extra dishes for yourself!  Well, unless you want to!  You will get a thick batter.
Divide mixture into the muffin pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.  When a toothpick inserted comes out with no wet batter they are done.

Make sure to cut one in half while still warm and add a pat of butter and drizzle of honey!  I might be an expert on this particular muffin!

Enjoy my friends and thank you for stopping by!  Make sure to check out the video as well!


Other Muffin Recipes You Might Love!

Banana Crumble Muffins
BLueberries and Cream Crunch Muffins
Cranberry Almond Muffins
Chocolate Covered Cherry Muffins