Creamy dreamy scrumptious peppermint cannolis make the perfect winter holiday dessert!
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Italian
Prep Time1hour
Total Time1hour
Servings12large cannolis
AuthorChris
Ingredients
For the cannoli cream
8ouncescream cheese
¾cupricotta cheesewhole not skim
¼cupmascarpone cheese
3teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1½cupsheavy cream
¾cupconfectioner's sugar
¼teaspoonfreshly ground cinnamon
2teaspoonsorange zest
1/2teaspoonpeppermint flavoring
1/2cupcandy cane pieces
For the whipped cream
½cupheavy cream
2tablespoonsconfectioner's sugar
Instructions
Cannoli cream
Soften the cream cheese, cut into several small pieces and add to a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Add the mascarpone, vanilla, heavy cream, ricotta, confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Continue to beat with the mixer until well mixed and uniform.
Add the peppermint flavoring about a 1/4 teaspoon at a time. Taste test the cannoli cream each time you add 1/4 teaspoon so you can get the peppermint just right to your taste.
Let the cream chill over night or for at least a few hours before filling the cannoli shells.
Candy cane pieces
Unwrap five large candy canes and put them into a zip lock bag. Pound them into small pieces with a meat tenderizer, I found that the spiked side of the meat tenderizer worked well. Place the pieces into a bowl.
Filling the cannolis
Using a pastry bag, carefully fill the cannoli shells with the cannoli cream.
Again using a pastry bag, add a nice dollop or two of the whipped cream to each cannoli.
Dip the ends of the cannoli into the candy cane pieces, allowing the pieces to stick to each end.