Espresso Canolli: Σικελική παράδοση με άρωμα καφέ

The favorite Italian dessert in a surprising version.

Cannoli, a word that in Italian means "tubes", due to their characteristic shape, is the most recognizable sweet of Sicily. Traditionally, they are served during the Carnival period, most likely as symbols of fertility and good luck. Their distant origin is from the region of Palermo and Messina, while the Arab influence, which dates back to the time of the infamous Emirate of Sicily, is more than a given.

Cannoli are small tubes of fried dough, filled with cream based on ricotta cheese. Ricotta is traditionally enriched and flavored with orange, dried fruits, nuts or in a more modern version, with pieces of chocolate. However, a simple and unpretentious sweet like canolli can become the canvas for countless experiments.

With that in mind, we decided to try Canolli with espresso filling - and it worked out very, very well!

What do you need for  Espresso Cannoli?

 - 2 tablespoons sugar
 - 250 grams of ricotta
- 50 grams of melted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 50 grams of chocolate
- 300 grams of flour
- 100 ml white wine
- 60ml strong espresso
- Sunflower oil for frying


How are Espresso Cannoli prepared?

 - In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and honey
 - Pour the white wine and mix, creating a dough.
 - Shape it like a ball, then cover it with a film and leave it in the fridge for an hour to rest.
 - Prepare the filling, beating the ricotta, icing sugar and espresso.
 - Shape the Canolli into a tube and fry in hot oil (180 degrees)
 - Once cool, fill the Canolli with the help of a pastry cone.
 - Dip the edges in the chocolate pieces and serve.


Tips for delicious Canolli Espresso

 - Use a strong, 100% Robusta blend, for an intense coffee taste. Ideally, we use double espresso and not lungo
 - If you want even more intense coffee taste, you can use two tablespoons of instant coffee dissolved in a little water, but with espresso your dessert will be more delicate and delicious.
 - The charm of the dessert is based on the contrast of the crunchy, oily dough and the velvety and rich cream, so the textures are very important.
 - It is not easy to give the right shape to your canolli, as it requires little experience. Failed attempts are always on schedule and should not disappoint you.
- In addition to pieces of chocolate, you can also use nuts
- It is in the nature of Canollo to be relatively unsweet, so that should not bother you.
- In the winter months, canolli can be kept out of the fridge for a couple of days, in the summer they can be stored in the ridge. In general, however, it is a dessert that is eaten immediately, so it is not good to make huge quantities.
- If you can not find ricotta, you can use cream cheese.


If you are looking for a dessert that closes the Sicilian tradition in one bite and at the same time has a rich and enjoyable coffee taste, Espresso Cannoli are made for you!