Posted on Monday, 4th June 2012 by Grace Massa Langlois
I’ve been craving my favourite Italian pastries, Cannoli Siciliani, but I wanted to change it up a bit so I decided to take all the flavours and textures of these pastries and make the best summer treat, Italian Ice Cream - Cannoli Cones with scoops of Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Gelato and Gelato Sandwiches.
How long do you think it took for the gelato to disappear? It’s times like this that I wish I had more than one ice cream freezer bowl!
I got into the habit of making ice cream when I first started writing the blog and then, for no reason at all, I stopped. After enjoying one spoonful I found myself wondering why I don’t make homemade ice cream more often, it’s easy to make and doesn’t take all that long to prepare. And the fresh taste and creamy texture can’t be beat! – It’s magnificent, absolutely worth the little effort it takes to prepare it.
I used glucose in the custard this time and again, I achieved the same wonderful smooth mouth feel as I did with the Salted Caramel Semifreddo. I merely substituted two tablespoons glucose for a portion of the sugar but it was enough to improve the texture of the gelato. I can’t recommend using glucose enough; it’s wonderful stuff!
The one ingredient I skipped this time? Eggs. The ricotta provided the richness and although it was smooth and creamy I did miss the lusciousness of the eggs.
When making homemade gelato it’s best to prepare smaller batches and also to enjoy the batch the same day you prepare it because it tends to gets hard when stored in the freezer. And I also recommend removing the gelato from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving allowing it to soften to the desirable, silky smooth and creamy consistency gelato is famous for.
I had hopes of using the cannoli shells for the gelato sandwiches but unfortunately the cannoli discs have a mind of their own when they’re swimming in the hot oil, very similar to frying Bomboloni. Trying to get the perfect shaped rounds proved to be more difficult than I initially thought but they do make great ice cream or dessert garnishes.
I enjoy Marsala in desserts and it’s the ingredient that gives the cannoli dough its amazing flavour. It pairs really well with a variety of fruits and creams. I’m going to attempt cutting and frying in other shapes, squares or rectangles because I think the flavour and texture of the shells would be an amazing substitution for crispy puff pastry in millefoglie (mille-feuille).
The combination of fresh, juicy strawberries, mascarpone cream and crispy cannoli shells immediately comes to mind, mmm…perfect summer dessert.
The Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Gelato was a big hit among the teenagers hence the reason the batch went so quickly. I used Chocolate Sablèe biscuits for the Gelato Sandwiches, I think the kids would have enjoyed them more if the cookies were sweeter but I thought they were perfect, pure chocolate bliss.
Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Gelato-Cannoli Cones-Chocolate Sablée-Gelato Sandwiches {Gelato alla Ricotta con Gocce di Cioccolato-Cannoli Cono-Sablè al Cacao con Gelato}
- Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Gelato {Gelato alla Ricotta con Gocce di Cioccolato)
- Cannoli Cones {Cannoli Cono}
- Chocolate Sablée for Gelato Sandwiches {Sablè al Cacao per Sandwich di Gelato}
Chocolate Chip-Ricotta Gelato {Gelato alla Ricotta con Gocce di Cioccolato)
Makes 1 1/3 kg (1½ quarts)
**Please note, to make the gelato discs for the gelato sandwiches, I used a silicone mould with 2.36 x 13-mm (about 2½ x ½-inch)-sized cavities. Please feel free to use any moulds you have on hand keeping in mind that you will need a cookie cutter that has the same dimensions. If you prefer, store gelato in freezer-safe airtight containers lined with two sheets of baking paper leaving 5-cm (2-inch) border on all sides (for easy removal) filling each container with enough gelato to come 13-mm (½-inch) up the sides. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the gelato, cover and freeze until firm; remove the gelato by grasping on the paper borders and use a cookie cutter (use the same cookie cutter for the cookies) to cut out each disc.
- 475 g (2 cups + 1½ tablespoons) extra smooth ricotta cheese
- 480 ml (2 cups) whole milk
- 480 ml (2 cups) heavy cream, 35% (whipping cream)
- 170 g (¾-cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 28 g (2 tablespoons) liquid glucose
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
- 240 g (1 cup) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
- Pass the ricotta through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate. Prepare an ice water bath; half fill a large bowl with ice, cover the ice with cold water, set-aside.
- In medium saucepan combine milk, cream, sugar, and glucose. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with a tip of a sharp paring knife into the milk mixture; add the bean. Bring the milk mixture just to a boil (small bubbles forming around the edge of the saucepan) over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar and glucose are dissolved. (The temperature of the milk mixture should not exceed 85° C (185° F). Remove from heat. To lower the temperature of the milk mixture, transfer the mixture to a bowl and then set the bowl over the ice water bath, stirring occasionally until completely cooled.
- Transfer the milk mixture to an airtight container, cover and chill in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Remove the ricotta from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Remove chilled milk mixture from the refrigerator. Whisk in the ricotta until throughly blended. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pourable container (use flexible spatula to push through any bits of ricotta and make sure to scrape the underside of the sieve), whisking again to combine well.
- Transfer the gelato mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add the chocolate chips in the last two minutes of churning time.
- Transfer the gelato to a freezer-safe airtight container, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the gelato, cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours before serving. If making gelato sandwiches, place silicone moulds on rimmed baking sheets (it’s best to place the moulds on the baking sheet before filling), fill each cavity with gelato and use an offset spatula to level each cavity. Transfer the gelato on baking sheets to freezer, uncovered and set until firm. (Once the gelato is set enough to not stick to plastic wrap I cover the moulds.) If you don’t have moulds to make the gelato discs, line a freezer-safe airtight container with 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper leaving a 5-cm (2-inch) border on all sides (for easy removal). (You may need more than one container depending on the size of your container, the size of your gelato sandwiches and also the amount of sandwiches you’re making.) Fill container with enough gelato to come 13-mm (½-inch) up the sides. Level with an offset spatula. Place a sheet of plastic wrap paper directly on the surface of the gelato, cover and freeze until firm.
- Gelato is best enjoyed when allowed to soften at room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
Cannoli Cones {Cannoli Cono}
To make the Cannoli Cones you will require Cream Horn or Cone Moulds. Follow the instructions for preparing and laminating the cannoli shells but when cutting the dough for the cones use an 11½-cm (4½-inch) round cookie cutter. If you don’t have the required cookie cutter, create an 11½-cm (4½-inch) round template out of cardboard or plastic (lid from a margarine container). Place the template on the laminated dough, using the tip of a sharp paring knife, cut around the edges of the template to create the round dough piece. I find the cone moulds slip out of the shells quite easily when frying but take extreme caution when removing the moulds from the hot oil; you will need to drain the moulds upside down to remove the excess oil. If you want smaller sized cones use a smaller cookie cutter.
To keep the Cannoli Cones fresh, I like to store between layers of non-stick baking paper in an airtight container in the freezer. The cones defrost quickly.
You’ll notice in one of the above images I’ve garnished a bowl of the gelato with a Cannoli round. I usually gather the scraps of dough (as I’m cutting the rounds for the cones) and wrap in plastic. By the time I’ve completed my entire cutting the dough has softened and I run it through the pasta machine again until thin. I then cut as many rounds as I can, fry them and save for garnishing desserts. I’ve tried to create the perfect rounds for gelato sandwiches but the cannoli dough has a mind of its own when frying and getting the perfect round shape is near impossible.
Chocolate Sablée for Gelato Sandwiches {Sablè al Cacao per Sandwich di Gelato}
Makes about 4 dozen 5-cm (2-inch) biscuits
**Please Note**
For convenience I used silicone moulds to shape my gelato discs, the 5-cm (2-inch) cookie cutter was the perfect size for sandwiching the discs but you can use whatever size or shape cutter you prefer. Keep in mind if your cookie cutter is larger this recipe will make less cookies and also keep in mind you will need 2 cookies for each gelato sandwich.
- 48 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa (not Dutch-processed)
- 250 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 85 g (3 ounces) good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chilled in the refrigerator
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 197 g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 50 g (½ cup) almond flour
- Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or non-stick baking paper.
- Using fine mesh sieve, sift the cocoa twice onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Sift together cocoa (for a third time), flour and salt into a medium bowl; whisk to combine well.
- Chop the chilled chocolate into chocolate chip size pieces.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract at medium speed until pale and creamy.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, add the almond flour and beat just to combine.
- Gradually add the cocoa-flour mixture, beating at low speed, scraping down sides, beater attachment and bottom of bowl as needed, until just combined.
- Add the chocolate pieces and beat at low speed just to combine.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces; flatten and shape each piece into a small rectangle. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the remaining piece refrigerated), roll out dough to thickness of 12-mm (½-inch). Cut cookies using a 5-cm (2-inch) cookie cutter; transfer to prepared baking sheet with an offset spatula, spacing cookies 2.5-cm (1-inch) apart. Arrange 16 biscuits per baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to the refrigerator and allow cut cookies to chill until firm, about 15 minutes. Gather up the dough scraps, shape into a ball. If dough is soft, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes before rolling and cutting.
- Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
- Remove baking sheet from refrigerator and transfer to preheated oven; bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until set around the edges, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and transfer baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 1 minute. Carefully transfer cookies to wire rack with an offset spatula and allow cookies to cool completely.
- Store cookies up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Assembling Gelato Sandwiches
If desired, after sandwiching the cookies, let stand at room temperature until the gelato just begins to soften, roll each gelato cookie in crushed pistachios or mini chocolate chips. Wrap each individual gelato sandwich with baking paper, transfer to an airtight container, cover and return to the freezer.
Using Moulds:
- Remove moulds from the freezer.
- Pop each gelato disc out of the moulds onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Using an offset spatula transfer one-gelato disc to each chocolate sablèe cookie, cover with a second chocolate sablèe cookie. Wrap each individual gelato sandwich with baking paper, transfer to an airtight container, cover and return to the freezer.
Using Airtight Container Line with Baking Paper
- Remove gelato from the freezer. Grasp borders on two sides and lift gelato out of the container and transfer to a cutting board. Working quickly, using a sturdy cookie cutter, cut the gelato discs (keep the cuts as close together as possible).
- Using an offset spatula transfer one-gelato disc to each chocolate sablèe cookie, cover with a second chocolate sablèe cookie. Wrap each individual gelato sandwich with baking paper, transfer to an airtight container, cover and return to the freezer.
- Buon Appetito!
You may also enjoy:
Tags: after school treat, afternoon tea, chocolate, chocolate dessert, dessert, desserts, edible containers, food, food photography, food photos, fried pastries, gelato, homemade ice cream, ice cream, individual dessert, individual desserts, Italian dessert, Italian desserts, Italian Pastries, Summer desserts
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Custards, Creams & Mousses, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Frozen Desserts, Gelati, Sorbetti e Semifreddi, Pastry Doughs & Batter, Recipes
Comments (15)
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
Subscribe
Flickr
Pinterest
June 5th, 2012 at 7:06 am
That gelato sounds amazing! I’m always so surprised at how easy homemade ice cream is… I really need to do it more often. I also need to start working with liquid glucose.
June 5th, 2012 at 11:51 am
I can’t believe I just found your blog! It’s amazing! I love all things Italian and I recently had a cannoli for the first time in years (which was even flown in from Sicily! I live in Germany) and I thought that it’d be so fun to make them myself. I’ll go check out that recipe now!
I’ve made cannoli ice cream before and although it was insanely delicious, it was so incredibly rich that you could eat only a few bites at a time. It was like eating a bowl of butter. I bet this would be much better.
June 6th, 2012 at 10:30 pm
These look delicious, Grace. I love the cannoli cones…fantastic:) A perfectly fun treat to enjoy on hot summer days. xx
June 7th, 2012 at 12:30 am
I’ve never had Cannoli ice cream, bet it would be rich but I think I could enjoy it! (haha) Oh how wonderful authentic cannoli from Siciliy. Did they use the sheep’s-milk ricotta?
June 7th, 2012 at 11:28 am
oh my! That looks so delicious it’s wrong!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Paloma.
June 7th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Can’t wait to try this as I’ve never had cannoli ice cream before. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous recipe!! x
June 8th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Grace, so happy to have just found your blog. I must try your gelato recipe with ricotta, i love to make my own ricotta so it sounds perfect!! Reading your bio I realize I must write to you, yes you noticed my name is Liana and I am also an artist. All my best wishes to your daughter how old is she?? Great photography btw I majored in photography in art college. Anyways, love your blog, your writing, your recipe style and story. All the best and I will look forward to following you!! Kindest Regards, LIana.
June 9th, 2012 at 7:32 am
What a small world Liana. I named my daughter, Liana Marie after my grandmother Ana Marie, what a small world 2 artistic Lianas. Liana is going to be 21 this November, I don’t know where the time has gone every time I look at her I still see my newborn. Liana funny you should mentioned your college major I’ve been trying to convince Liana to do just that. I think when you’re blessed with an artistic ability you should nurture it. Thank you so much for your kind words.
July 7th, 2012 at 11:17 am
what a great site and I need your book! always looking for italian desserts especially with ricotta
Will sign!Glad to have found you!!
July 8th, 2012 at 2:11 am
Welcome Rosemary!
July 10th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
This sounds like the perfect summer treat to make to reconnect with my Italian roots! I can’t wait to break in my new ice cream maker with this recipe
May 9th, 2013 at 10:03 am
Hello Grace,
Aside from the fact that the recipes you have offered up have been so outstanding, (and I’ve tried many) your presentations are second to none. Your photos say so much about you. It is clear that you are a font of creativity and talent and I so appreciate you.
I have just purchased an ice cream maker, actually this is my second one. The first one I returned because I couldn’t achieve what I get from gelato shops. I decided I would try again and purchased another ice cream maker.
I just happened upon your recipe this morning mentioning the addition of liquid glucose and I think that was the key missing ingredient in my previous forays into gelato making.
Thank you so much for the “very” valuable tips you offer up with all your recipes.
May 9th, 2013 at 3:05 pm
Thank you for your kind words Cheryl. Liquid glucose is one of my new favourite ingredients, I use it in caramel making too, just love it. Please let me know how you like the texture of the gelato. By the way which ice cream maker did you purchase? I have the attachment for the KitchenAid stand mixer but I think I would like to invest in a stand alone one.
May 9th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Hi Grace!
I bought a Cuisinart ICE 21 for $60. What I had previously was a $380 compressor inside the machine model, I think it was a Breville but, I decided I didn’t mind the slight inconvenience of having to keep the bowl in my freezer which was the only difference between the two ice cream makers.
While looking through the J.B. Prince catalog this evening, I noticed that they were selling a book entitled, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. She’s got an unusual approach to ice cream making, a lot of very unusual flavor combinations and, she uses the liquid glucose as well.
I checked out Amazon and her book had a 4.7 out of 5 star rating so I decided I’d get the book.
As you are always coming up with beautiful and inventive desserts, I thought you might want to check out her book.
May 12th, 2013 at 10:52 am
Thanks for the info cheryl and I will definitely take a look at the book, I’m a bit of a cookbook lover but lately I’ve been purchasing more with info geared to techniques, I love learning new things.