Cannoli Bites for Solemnity of St. Joseph

This recipe is a different take on a classic Italian feast day treat; simpler than the traditional cannoli but with similar flavors.  Making cannoli is a big process and it to great way to get the flavor of cannoli without the work. Use a pre-made pie crust, flavor it a little, cut into small circles and make mini cups to fill with the cream.

Cannoli Bites

Ingredients:

Cannoli cups:

1 refrigerated pie crust
3 tablespoons coarse natural sugar (Turbinado)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
dry white wine

Cannoli Filling:

16 oz whole milk Ricotta cheese, strained
4 oz Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

For the cannoli cups - Heat oven to 400°F.  Thaw pie crust. Unroll the crust onto a lightly floured surface. Brush lightly with wine and sprinkle the top of each crust with the sugar and spice mixture. Lightly roll over it with a rolling pin so that sugar and spices are pressed into the dough.

With a 2 – 2 ½ inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out circles and lightly press them inside a greased mini muffin cup to create a pastry cup.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

For Filling  - In a mixing bowl, blend together Ricotta and Mascarpone cheese to mix well and remove lumps. Add sugars and vanilla and mix in. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

After mini shells/cups are cool, remove cannoli filling from refrigerator, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a tip (or you can use a large resealable bag and cut the tip off one end). Pipe filling into cups and sprinkle with chocolate chips and dust with powdered sugar. 

For best results serve within 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.  Makes approximately 20 cannoli bits.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Pray for us!