Why would you want to thicken cannoli filling?
Cannoli filling is famous as an Italian dessert cream that made out of fried pastry shells filled with ricotta cheese, heavy cream and sugar but sometimes, mascarpone cheese is used to replace for ricotta.
It’s a tasty confection with crispy shells and rich, creamy filling.
There is no reason for a watery filling but many people thought that making a perfect cannoli filling is a piece of cake and make a very common mistake that the filling would not hold its shape when piped into the shell because of using much liquid in the process.
Can you thicken cannoli filling?
Of course, you can fix your mistake by finding a way to thicken the filling.
In fact, there are many methods to make this come true so you don’t have to struggle with the unsuccessful filling that you have made, you easily choose the way that is the best and appropriate for you.
Here are some step-by-step instructions that you can follow.
Tips to thicken cannoli filling
- It’s not recommended to use cornstarch or flour to thicken runny cannoli filling because the flavor can be compromised and mixed
- Cannoli shells should be filled just before serving as they tend to get soggy if you prepare too far before you consume
- If you use the way of thickening the runny cannoli filling with gelatin, just be careful of the warm weather since the gelatin can be melted. So to be safe and keep the texture of the filling fine, just keep the filled cannoli shells in the fridge
- Always use whole milk ricotta rather than part-skim or skim ricotta as the fat will separate from the water less in the heavier version
Things you’ll need
- A fridge
- A cheesecloth, a bowl, a wooden spoon
- Some ingredients that help to thicken the runny cannoli filling: Ricotta cheese, powdered almonds, desiccated coconut or gelatin
- Sugar
How to thicken cannoli filling with Ricotta cheese
- Place the ricotta cheese in a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible
- Add the squeezed ricotta cheese to a bowl of runny cannoli filling and stir by a wooden spoon
- Add some superfine sugar to taste
- Now you can spoon the filling into the cannoli shells easier
How to thicken cannoli filling with powdered almonds
- Blend powdered almonds into the runny cannoli filling (add gradually and stir until the consistency reaches the requirement)
- Add superfine sugar to taste
How to thicken cannoli filling with desiccated coconut
- Add desiccated coconut into the runny cannoli filling (add gradually and stir until the consistency reaches the requirement)
- Check if the sweetness is as your desire to add more sugar if you want
How to thicken cannoli filling with gelatin
- Prepare the gelatin as directed by the instructions on its package
- Blend the liquid gelatin into the cannoli filling
- Place the cannoli filling in the refrigerator to set
- When it is ready, spoon the filling into the cannoli shells and serve immediately
