Ever wonder how to make cannoli cream? It's much easier than you think.
Ever wonder how to make cannoli cream? I've learned that it's really much easier than you think. A few ingredients and a little bit of prep time and you'll be enjoying this favorite Italian dessert.
These homemade cannolis go great after a nice Italian meal. Try my creamy Bolognese sauce or this pasta al forno. There's always room for c-a-n-n-o-l-i-s!
I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but there's something about cannolis that make it hard to resist. So sweet...and those mini chocolate chips??? Delicious! Betcha can't eat just one of these mini treats.
What is cannoli filling made of?
- Ricotta cheese - get whole milk ricotta. Although it's tempting to go with part skim for less fat, you'll be glad you did.
- Whipping cream - a little bit is all you need to get that nice, sweet flavor.
- Confectioners sugar - a must for any cannoli cream recipe.
- Pure vanilla extract - a little goes a long way.
- Mini chocolate chips - the finishing touch!
Damn! Doesn't that look amazing?
So how do you make cannoli cream?
Like I said...it's really not hard. First, you need to whip the cream. This is so easy to do...it just takes a little patience.
Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and start whisking it. The more you whisk, the more it will start to thicken up. Whisk for about 5-7 minutes until you have a nice creamy whipped cream.
Next, transfer the whipped cream to a small bowl and set aside. Then, in the large bowl used to whip the cream, add the ricotta cheese, the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Using an electronic hand mixer, begin blending until mixed thoroughly.
What's the key to a good cannoli cream?
The key to a good cannoli cream is proper straining of the ricotta cheese. You want to try and let it strain for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight to ensure you get that good cannoli texture. If you have a cheesecloth bag you can use that, if not a strainer will do in a pinch.
Once the ricotta is all mixed together, add the whipped cream and the chocolate chips. Mix by hand until all combined and refrigerate the cream for a few hours before you start filling.
Once the cream has chilled for a few hours, here comes the fun part...filling the cannolis. Add the cannoli cream to either a pastry bag, or even a gallon size plastic bag with the corner tip cut off (which is what I used here).
Either way, get ready for some fun "filled" excitement!
Finally, squeeze the bag and fill each side of the cannoli with the cream.
Enjoy...Kylie (the Mini Guinea) certainly did! 🙂
Tools I used in this recipe:
Recipe
How to Make Cannoli Cream (quick and easy)
Equipment
- Gallon sized ziploc or pastry bag
Ingredients
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 15 oz ricotta cheese whole milk, strained
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips milk or dark chocolate
Instructions
- Pour the whipping cream into a large mixing bowl. Start whisking by hand. Slow to start at first and then pick up the speed as the cream begins to thicken. Whisk until you have a nice, thick creamy texture.
- Transfer the cream to a small bowl and set aside. In the same large mixing bowl, add the strained ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Using the electronic mixer, start mixing until it's all mixed together.
- Once mixed, add the whipped cream and the chocolate chips. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined.
- Add the cream to a pastry bag or gallon-sized plastic bag (with the corner tip cut).
- Fill each side of the cannolis.
Notes
Nutrition
About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
Wonder if one can add pumpkin or Carmel to make it a more seasonal treat?
Hey Mary...sorry for the delay and great question! You should be able to. For the pumpkin, I would add a dash of pumpkin extract instead of a canned pumpkin or anything. The canned stuff will mess with the consistency, which you definitely don't want. For the caramel...yes you should be able to. Add a little to start and check for consistency and flavor and go from there. Hope that helps!
I put in a little anneset -- an no whip cream or choc chips-qaqqq
Hey Helen...sounds amazing! Hope you enjoyed.
How far in advance can you make the filling?
A day...maybe two. But make sure you don't fill the cannolis until right before you're ready to eat them or the shells will get soft.
How do you make the cannoli shell
I made this tonight and it was delicious...
Glad it worked for you Gail...happy new year!
Do you want a peak for the whipped cream or what consistency?
Hey Aleaha...yes, ideally you're looking for stiff peaks to just begin forming but no worries if you don't have the time to get there...it's just food, right lol.
Turned out amazing! Filled the Pizzelle with this and had my adult children to help me… hard to keep them from eating all of the filling without even getting near the cookies! Thanks for this recipe!!
Haha...that's awesome! Glad to hear you guys enjoyed and you actually got to fill some cannolis lol!
Hi! I’ve been making cannolis for years but never with the cream. Just curious so to why you beat the whipping cream specifically by hand. Can’t wait to make this!!
Hey Kate! So, there is such a thing as "overwhipping" the cream which essentially turns into a consistency more like butter. Whipping by hand just makes it easier for us to control how much we whip and ensure we get the proper texture we're going for. Hope that helps!
How do you make the shells
Hey Philip...I'm not into making my own pastries, so we're just buying the shells for this one. Hope you enjoy!
Can I use just whipped topping? I mean instead of whipping my own cream
Yes, you can. You may get a bit of a different consistency, but you can use whipped topping if you'd like.
Made this recipe with family members…love this dessert
Made this last weekend… was a big hit!! Making it again this week! Absolutely delicious!!Can I make the filling a day ahead instead day of?
Glad you enjoyed it Char! I've never made it ahead of time, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to. Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out.
Glad you enjoyed it!