Description
Cannoli Cups offer a modern, easy, and delicious twist on the classic Italian cannoli dessert. Using flaky pie crust shaped into mini pastry cups and filled with a smooth, sweet ricotta cream, these bite-sized treats are perfect for parties or a delightful after-dinner dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Ricotta Filling
- 1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (or substitute with Stevia)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Pastry Cups
- 2 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Flour for dusting surface
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the pastry cups.
- Prepare Ricotta Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, confectioners’ sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Transfer this mixture into a one-gallon freezer bag and refrigerate to chill.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Roll out the refrigerated pie crusts on a floured surface. Sprinkle one side of each crust evenly with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Use a rolling pin to gently press the sugar and cinnamon into the dough to ensure it sticks well.
- Cut and Shape Cups: Using a biscuit cutter, cut circles out of the prepared pie crust. Press each circle gently but firmly into the wells of an ungreased cupcake pan to form mini pastry cups.
- Prick Bottoms: Lightly prick the bottom of each pastry cup with a fork. This step prevents excessive rising during baking and keeps the shape intact.
- Bake Pastry Cups: Place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake the cups for 8-10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
- Fill Cups: Once the pastry cups have cooled, cut a small corner off the refrigerated ricotta-filled bag. Pipe the ricotta mixture carefully into each cup until filled.
- Garnish: Sprinkle mini semisweet chocolate chips over the filled cups and dust lightly with powdered sugar for an elegant finish.
- Serve and Store: The ricotta filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before use. For best taste and texture, fill the cups about 1 hour before serving. For an even thicker filling, strain the ricotta through cheesecloth overnight to remove excess moisture.
Notes
- For a thicker and creamier filling, strain the ricotta cheese overnight using cheesecloth to remove excess water.
- The ricotta filling can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge for convenience.
- Use a biscuit cutter slightly smaller than the cupcake tin wells for easy shaping of the cups.
- Be sure not to grease the cupcake pan to help the pastry crust stick and hold shape.
- Filling the cups shortly before serving keeps the pastry crisp and prevents sogginess.
