Speculaas Cannoli - Daring Bakers' November 2009 Challenge

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.

Cannoli, Cannoli, Cannoli. Mr J couldn't contain his excitement when I announced to him that this month Daring Bakers' Challenge is Cannoli. Immediately he turned on his favourite episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation: New Jersey that shows how Cannoli is made by a local Italian Bakery (6:57).

Mr J pleaded, "Please, no fancy ingredients, no fancy decorations, it has to be the real deal, just like those Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali had in the show."

Mr J has special fondness for New Jersey. His is a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. Vinyls, CDs, you name it, he has it. His ipod has no other songs than Bruce's. Bruce grew up in New Jersey and so did Anthony Bourdain. Bruce sang about New Jersey, Tony lamented about New Jersey. He always wanted to see the New Jersey that was being sang and told - The Asbury Park, The New Jersey Turnpike, The late Madam Marie......

Some said New Jersey is actually one giant freeway, with numerous exits. I clearly remember how excited Mr J was when he drove down the New Jersey Turnpike at the crack of dawn for the very first time during one of his many business trips. He flew to New York and had to drive to Philadelphia to meet a client via the New Jersey TurnPike. He called me and couldn't contain his excitement, "It's surreal! I am actually on it! I am having an epiphany!"

So here I was, braving the 41C heat in Sydney, deep-frying these cannoli shells in the comfort of air-conditioning.

And no, I didn't give in to Mr J's demand to keep it plain and simple. I replaced the cinnamon with Dutch Speculaas Spice since Sinterklaas (December 5th) is fast approaching. And yes, he does like this Italian-Dutch hybrid Cannoli.

Speculaas Cannoli Recipe

Makes 22-24 4-inch cannoli

Ingredients

Cannoli Shells:
2 cups (250 grams/8.82 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons(28 grams/1 ounce) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.06 ounces) unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) speculaas spice
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 3 grams/0.11 ounces) salt
3 tablespoons (42 grams/1.5 ounces) vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams/0.18 ounces) white wine vinegar
Approximately 1/2 cup (approx. 59 grams/approx. 4 fluid ounces/approx. 125 ml) sweet Marsala

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) grated chocolate for garnish
Confectioners' sugar

Cannoli Fillings:
1 lbs ricotta cheese

1 lbs Mascarpone cheese
1 2/3 cups cup (160 grams/6 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon (1.15 grams/0.04 ounces) speculaas spice (Recipe follow)
1 teaspoon (4 grams/0.15 ounces) pure vanilla extract

Speculaas Spice:
(Adapted from Dutch Girl Cooking)

4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp mace

(Mix it all up)

Directions For Shells

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, speculaas spice, 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 (I use dried Cannelloni pasta instead of the cannoli tubes). 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.

Directions For Filling:

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

Assemble The Cannoli:

1. When ready to serve, fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the filling. 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.

   

2. Press or dip cannoli in grated chocolate into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.