Cannoli in the Air Fryer
Sicilian cannoli with thin, crisp shells made from marsala dough, baked in the air fryer instead of deep-fried. Just before serving, a sweetened ricotta cream with dark chocolate and candied orange is piped into the shells, and the ends are dipped in chopped pistachios.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 12 Cannolirør made of metal, approx. 2.5 cm in diameter
- 2 Mixing bowl
- 1 Sigte
- 1 Rolling pin or a pasta machine
- 1 Rund udstikker approx. 10 cm in diameter
- 1 Brush
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
125 g plain flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt cold, in small cubes
15 g butter koldt, i små tern
1 egg yolk sweet or dry- 3 tbsp marsala sød eller tør
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar e.g. rapeseed oil
For brushing
2 tbsp neutral oil lightly beaten
1 egg white let pisket
Ricotta cream
- 500 g ricotta
80 g icing sugar finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla sugar finely chopped
50 g dark chocolate unsalted, finely chopped
40 g candied orange peel for dusting
Garnish
- 40 g pistachios usaltede, finthakkede
- 1 tbsp icing sugar til drys
Instructions
Preparation
- Place 500 g ricotta in a sieve over a bowl, cover, and leave to drain in the fridge for at least 1 hour – preferably overnight.
- Mix 125 g plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 pinch salt in a mixing bowl. Rub 15 g butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse sand.
- Add 1 egg yolk, 3 tbsp marsala and 1 tsp white wine vinegar, and quickly bring together into a firm dough. Add 1-2 tbsp extra marsala if the dough is too crumbly.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Wrap it in cling film, and leave to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Ricotta cream
- Press the drained ricotta through the sieve with the back of a spoon, so the cream becomes completely smooth. Stir in 80 g icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla sugar.
- Finely chop 50 g dark chocolate, 40 g candied orange peel and 40 g pistachios separately. Set the pistachios aside for garnish.
- Fold the chocolate and orange peel into the ricotta cream, and transfer the cream to a piping bag. Chill until the shells are ready to be filled.
Cannoli shells
- Divide the dough in two, and roll out one half into a very thin sheet, 1-1.5 mm thick – ideally with a pasta machine. The thinner the dough, the crisper the shells become, and the more bubbles they get.
- Cut out circles about 10 cm across using a round cutter or a glass. Repeat with the other half, and re-roll the scraps until you have 12 circles.
- Lightly grease the cannoli tubes with a little of 2 tbsp neutral oil, and wrap a dough circle around each tube so the edges overlap in the middle. Brush the overlap with 1 egg white, and press the seam firmly together. Avoid getting egg white on the tube itself, or the shell will stick to it.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C.
- Brush the outside of the shells with the remaining oil, and place 6 tubes in the basket in a single layer with a little space between them.
- Bake the shells at 190 °C for 8 minutes, until golden and crisp with small bubbles. Turn the tubes after 4 minutes, so they colour evenly all the way round.
- Let the shells cool on the tubes for 2-3 minutes, then gently slide them off while still warm. Hold the tube with a tea towel, as the metal is very hot. Let the shells cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining 6 tubes at 190 °C for 8 minutes. If you have fewer tubes, let them cool before wrapping new dough circles around them.
Serving
- Fill the shells with the ricotta cream from both ends – only just before serving, so the shells stay crisp.
- Dip the ends in the chopped pistachios, dust with 1 tbsp icing sugar, and serve immediately.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Roll the dough as thin as possible – no more than 1.5 mm. The thin dough and the alcohol in the marsala give crisp shells with small bubbles, even without deep-frying. Brush the shells evenly with oil, and turn the tubes halfway through. If the shells are still pale after 8 minutes, give them 1-2 minutes extra, as air fryers vary. Fill just before serving:
The ricotta cream quickly softens the shells, so only fill them right before they're served. If you have time, let the ricotta drain overnight – this makes the cream firmer and better at holding its shape. Ricotta made from sheep's milk gives the most authentic Sicilian flavour. Variation:
Add ½ tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp cocoa to the dough for a darker, more spiced shell, or use lard instead of butter, as is traditionally done in Sicily. The cream can be flavoured with finely grated orange zest, and the ends can be dipped in chopped chocolate instead of pistachios. Serving:
Serve cannoli as a dessert with an espresso or a small glass of marsala, or arrange them on an Italian dessert table. Serving size:
The recipe makes 12 cannoli (singular: cannolo), i.e. 3 per person, and the dough is enough for a couple of extra shells in case some break. If you have a smaller air fryer or fewer tubes, bake the shells in several batches. Empty shells can be baked up to a week in advance.
Roll the dough as thin as possible – no more than 1.5 mm. The thin dough and the alcohol in the marsala give crisp shells with small bubbles, even without deep-frying. Brush the shells evenly with oil, and turn the tubes halfway through. If the shells are still pale after 8 minutes, give them 1-2 minutes extra, as air fryers vary. Fill just before serving:
The ricotta cream quickly softens the shells, so only fill them right before they're served. If you have time, let the ricotta drain overnight – this makes the cream firmer and better at holding its shape. Ricotta made from sheep's milk gives the most authentic Sicilian flavour. Variation:
Add ½ tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp cocoa to the dough for a darker, more spiced shell, or use lard instead of butter, as is traditionally done in Sicily. The cream can be flavoured with finely grated orange zest, and the ends can be dipped in chopped chocolate instead of pistachios. Serving:
Serve cannoli as a dessert with an espresso or a small glass of marsala, or arrange them on an Italian dessert table. Serving size:
The recipe makes 12 cannoli (singular: cannolo), i.e. 3 per person, and the dough is enough for a couple of extra shells in case some break. If you have a smaller air fryer or fewer tubes, bake the shells in several batches. Empty shells can be baked up to a week in advance.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 18gFat: 30gSaturated fat: 15gPolyunsaturated fat: 3gMonounsaturated fat: 10gTrans fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 335mgFiber: 3.2gSugar: 42gVitamin A: 755IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 280mgIron: 2.5mgNet carbohydrates: 67g
