Are there treats or main dishes you miss after having to be on a gluten free diet? I think for years, my top two missed desserts were tiramisu and cannoli. This may be because I’m always craving them! These two are so typical of desserts you’ll find at an Italian restaurant. This is especially true around the holidays. Miss these desserts no longer! You can simply make your own tiramisu with gluten free ladyfingers. A little more difficult is finding a gluten free cannoli shell. But I’ve got you covered with these very crispy shelled Gluten Free Cannoli with Two Fillings!
Storing cannoli shells
Cannoli can be tricky to keep crisp; however, these Gluten Free Cannoli shells keep magically for a couple days, if stored properly. I’ve found the best way to store them is to put unfilled shells covered with cellophane in a sealed airtight container, then put them in the oven with the door closed and the oven off.
Now, you need to make sure to put a large note on your oven so it doesn’t accidentally get turned on! Because melted plastic in your oven would be terrible! Equally terrible would be wrecking the delicious cannoli shells!
Refrigerate the filling and fill just prior to serving
Store the filling in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Add the filling to a pastry bag with a half inch tip and fill from each side. Then after filling dip in chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios.
I find that if the filling is made the same day it holds together best. You could make up to two days in advance. Be sure to give a good stir before filling a pastry bag or ziplock if you don’t have a pastry bag. If using a ziplock, just cut the corner off of the bag to fill.
Making two fillings
I like to make two (or even three) fillings when I make cannoli. It seems they are one of those items that some people prefer one kind or the other. You could even fill as you would fill an eclair, with a vanilla cream or whipped cream filling. If you prefer a more traditional ricotta, just double the recipe. If you think the mascarpone one sounds better, double that filling recipe. The last variation which I didn’t include is to whip a cup of heavy cream and fold into Filling #2.
Other holiday desserts
If you are looking for tiramisu, check out our Gluten Free Tiramisu. I love tiramisu for the holidays. It’s also a much easier dessert to make while still being so delicious and special. I like to use Schaar Gluten Free Ladyfingers, which I normally find online. You can order a one pack or if you love tiramisu maybe consider ordering two! Schar – Lady Fingers – Certified Gluten Free – No GMO’s, Lactose, Wheat or Preservatives – (7.1 oz) 2 Pack.
We usually also make Gluten Free Zeppole (Italian Fried Soft Dough). This one can be for breakfast instead of a doughnut or cinnamon rolls or as another dessert for the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes. Dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with honey, ooh, it’s so good!
My favorite gluten free spice brand and vanilla
I like to stock my pantry with items I can trust to be completely free of gluten, including the spices and chocolate, nuts, and vanilla extract or other extracts I use. One of my favorite gluten free vanillas is Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract Gran Reserva Molina. They make two kinds, but this one seems a bit richer. It’s fairly reasonably priced on Amazon or in stores. It such such a unique and wonderful taste, almost with a hint of cinnamon to the taste. Nielsen-Massey is another favorite brand of pure vanilla or vanilla paste.
I hope if you ‘ve been missing cannoli since you need a gluten free one, that you’ll soon make these Gluten Free Cannoli with Two Fillings. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
~ Laura
Gluten Free Cannoli with Two Fillings
Equipment
- 1 set cannoli molds
- stockpot or Dutch oven for frying shells
Ingredients
Gluten Free Cannoli Shells
- 2 cups (280 gr) Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- ½ cup (70 gr) Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour or other gf white rice flour by weight
- ¼ cup (29 gr) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, gf
- 1½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, gf
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 6 tbsp (85 gr) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg, whisked
- ¾ cup (6 oz) Marsala wine, cold
- ½-1 teaspoon water for a soft firm dough, as needed only
- 1 large egg, whisked for egg wash
- 2 qts vegetable oil or canola oil
- ¼-½ cup chopped pistachios, gluten free dark chocolate shavings, gluten free dark mini chocolate chips, orange peel or candied orange finely sliced for dipping the ends
Filling # 1 – Traditional
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta, strained overnight
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp superfine sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract Gran Reserva Molina, gf or other gf brand
Filling # 2 – Laura's Favorite
- ½ cup superfine sugar
- 14 ounces Mascarpone cheese
- 3 oz heavy cream
- 12 ounces whole milk ricotta, strained overnight fold in
- ¾ teaspoon Pure Mexican Vanilla Extract Gran Reserva Molina, gf or other gf brand
- ½-1 teaspoon orange zest, optional
- ¼-½ oz dark chocolate shavings, gf, optional
Instructions
Gluten Free Cannoli Shells
- To a medium bowl, add the 1 to 1 flour, rice flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir to combine by hand. Cut in the small butter pieces using a pastry cutter or two knives cutting in method, until small crumb is attained.
- Add the cold Marsala wine and the egg and stir to combine. *You can use a food processor pulsing to combine if you prefer. Bring the dough together with your hands. If it's too stiff, add ½ teaspoon of water and knead in.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in cellophane and refigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove one ball from the refrigerator. Place on a GF floured parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment and roll out to 3/32" or ⅛". Trace a 4" glass with a knife to cut out circles of dough. Transfer the circles to a plate and dust lightly with GF flour before stacking additional circles. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Spray the cannoli molds with nonstick spray or vegetable oil. Spray a small amount in the inside too. Stretch a mold to be barely oval and wrap lenghwise around the mold. Brush with egg watsh to seal the seam.
- Set the molds on a piece of parchment. Repeat the process with as many molds as you have. Cover the remaining dough circle with cellophane.
- In a stockpot or large Dutch oven, heat 3 inches of oil. Use a thermometer to heat the oil to 358-362℉. If the oil temperature rises or lowers as you are frying the shells, just inch the burner up or down as needed.
- Gently drop the molds into the heated oil, 3-4 at a time. Set a timer for 2 minutes once you drop in. At that point turn over and cook for about 30 seconds or so. They should be pretty brown for best crispness. Drain on paper towels placed over a wire rack or a wire rack over a cookie sheet.
- Repeat until all are fried. Remove the molds from the cannoli shells once they are cool enough to handle. Form the remaining circles over the molds again, spraying with a tiny bit more cooking spray or oil and sealing the seam the egg wash.
- Let the shells cool completely before moving to a containers, covered with cellophane, then sealed closed. Set in an oven with the door closed (and a note so the oven doesn't get turned on!).
- When ready to fill, add the filling to a pastry bag with a ½" tip or large star tip. Fill from each end, making sure that the cream gets to the middle of the shell. Dip the ends in pistachios, chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips, or candied orange peel strips. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and powdered sugar just before serving.
Filling #1 – Traditional
- Mix the strained ricotta, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before filling the shells.
Filling #2 – Laura's Favorite
- Make the filling by whipping the Mascarpone with the sugar. Add the heavy cream and continue whipping until smooth. Gently stir in the strained ricotta. Add the vanilla, and optional orange zest and chocolate shavings. Cover and refrigerate for a several hours before filling.
