Passport & Plate - Zia's Sicilian Cannoli
Italy | Saturday, March 8, 2014 | 3 photos
Ingredients
Cannoli shells
• 12 instant dried cannelloni tubes (or cannoli moulds)
• Canola oil (for deep-frying)
• Icing sugar, to serve
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (chopped), or lard
• ¼ cup (45g) icing sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup brandy
Vanilla Custard Cream
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 60g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• ¾ cups plain flour
How to prepare this recipeSift together flour and sugar, working in the butter until the mixture is fine and crumbly. Add the eggs and brandy. Keep mixing until it starts to come together. Turn the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead until just smooth. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the cream.
Mix all the ingredients except the milk into a smooth paste in a saucepan over a medium heat. Gradually add the milk and mix well over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir the mixture until it thickens.
Take the saucepan off the stove and let cool slightly. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in fridge to cool while you cook the shells.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Using a floured rolling pin on a floured surface, roll the dough until it is very thin (approximately 2mm thick). Cut the dough into 9mm squares. Wrap each square of dough around a cannelloni tube so that opposing corners overlap, brushing the corners with egg white to seal the dough (do not get any egg white onto the cannelloni tube).
Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, with enough oil to cover the cannoli shells. Deep-fry half the shells for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden. Use tongs to transfer to a plate lined with paper towel, and let cool slightly. When cool, remove cannoli shells from cannelloni tubes, and discard used tubes. If needed, deep-fry cannoli shells for a further minute or so until golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough and tubes, changing oil and reheating when needed.
When all shells are cooked, take out the custard cream mix from the fridge, remove the skin from the cream, and whisk until smooth. You can use either a teaspoon or a piping bag to fill the shells with cream, but only do this when you are ready to serve (or the shells go soggy).
Place filled cannoli on a serving platter and dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately.
The story behind this recipeIf I could eat cannoli every day, I would. With a delicious custard cream centre and crispy pastry shell that crumbles just as you get to the end, this is a dessert that I often dream about, and the mere sight of makes my mouth water. This recipe reminds me of my Aunty Angela, my “Zia”. She immigrated to Australia from Sicily with my father and their parents, when she was about 24. For as long as I can remember, my Zia has been one of the most important people in my life. Every time I see her, she is so genuinely happy to see me that I instantly feel like no matter how bad things can seem, I am safe, and I am loved. She radiates this love in her warm embrace, with hugs that truly envelop you, and you can’t help but feel safe and secure. She truly embodies the spirit and passion of love for life and for her family, through her food, her energy, and her selflessness.
My first memories of cannoli are of helping my Zia fill the shells with custard cream – and sneaking a few spoonfuls when she wasn’t looking. Eating cannoli resonates deep within me, triggering memories of something so sweet and pure and filled with warmth, connecting me to my heritage and my family. And when I take that first bite, it is as though all my worries and stresses just float away. And just for a moment, everything is quiet and peaceful and heavenly.
Making this cannoli makes me feel so proud to be following in my Zia’s footsteps. She is truly inspirational and has never stopped being strong and courageous in the face of some tough times. From learning to speak English in a new country, to going through the process of adoption after not being able to have natural children, and after 50 years of marriage, losing her husband just days after her 70th birthday, yet still remaining strong and optimistic. She is what I hope to be in my life, and by sharing her recipes and love with the world, I feel like everyone can be touched by her amazing presence, even if only through these words.
