Cannoli, a delectable dessert hailing from the beautiful island Sicily, can do more than just end your meals on a sweet note. What if I told you that this quintessential Italian dessert could be the star player on your game day menu, but with a twist? Enter, the Cannoli Dip. Easy-to-make, finger-licking good, and crowd-pleasing, this Cannoli Dip recipe ensures that you're all set to score big on gameday! Indulge in an authentic cannoli experience without messing around with piping bags and shells. Here, we're taking the filling out of the traditional cannoli and serving it as a dip! If you've ever had the good fortune of biting into a traditional Sicilian cannoli, you'd know about the irresistible blend of creamy, luscious ricotta filling encased in a crispy, fried pastry shell. These delectable morsels have a history dating back hundreds of years, with roots in the Sicilian city of Palermo. Today, we're giving this timeless dessert recipe a fun, new spin, perfect for a laid-back, gameday party...Let's Get Cooking!
The first step in creating this simple, yet delicious Cannoli Dip is to whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Yes, you could cheat and just buy some whipped cream, but what is the fun in that? The picture below represents the halfway point, where I realized I could be using an electric hand mixer for this instead of doing it by hand. You live and you learn, right?
Once you have actual stiff peaks, set that bowl aside and grab a slightly larger bowl for the remainder of the recipe. We will start by draining any excess liquids from the ricotta cheese. Oh, speaking of which, ricotta is sold in 15-ounce containers at almost every grocery store, perfect for the recipe according to the recipe card below, eh? Anyway, use some paper towels or cheese cloth to strain out the extra liquids and place the remaining ricotta solids in the bowl. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir until well combined.
Now take that whipped cream we made earlier and gently fold it into the ricotta mixture, creating a single, smooth cannoli dip base. Be careful not to stir the air out of the whipped cream and create a flat and boring mixture. Take a few moments and fold the two together nicely, like you actually care about the guests that will be enjoying this later.
Next, add the chocolate chips and chopped pistachios to the base dip and fold them in as well. Fun fact, I searched high and low at several stores and could not find unshelled pistachios. I know they exist out there so best of luck to you, or at least don't feel bad if you end up like myself deshelling handfuls of pistachios to make a little over a 1/3 cup once chopped. It took a few minutes and some major self-control not to eat them as I did it, but if I can do it so can you! Be sure to reserve a bit for the garnish, though.
Believe it or not, that basically wraps up this delicious dessert delicacy! Serve this Cannoli Dip chilled with some waffle cone or actual cannoli shell pieces. Graham crackers work well, or you can even sugar some wontons and quick fry them for a great dipping device, too! No matter which serving "scooper" you end up choosing, your guests are sure to devour this Cannoli Dip once they get started. If you want to be just a slight bit health-conscious, strawberries or apple slices would also pair well with this sweet treat! Whether your team wins or not, this Cannoli Dip recipe is sure to score a touchdown at your gameday party. Easy to whip up, even easier to polish off, it offers a sweet escape from the classic hot wings and nachos. Plus, it carries the charm of traditional Italian cuisine, revitalized for a contemporary setting. Try it for an unforgettable gameday food experience. Enjoy the game, and most importantly, enjoy this culinary treat...Just Keep Cooking!
CANNOLI DIP
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