Sicilian Cannoli Filling

Sweet, Still, and Gently Filled

There is something almost ceremonial about making cannoli filling from scratch — the slow folding, the quiet patience of letting ricotta soften into something luxurious. Sicily has always understood that the best desserts are not built on spectacle, but on restraint: a whisper of cinnamon, a flicker of candied citrus, the faint bitterness of chocolate beneath something sweet. This is a filling that rewards stillness. Make it unhurried, taste as you go, and let the ritual be as satisfying as the result.

Ingredients

• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped candied oranges, lemons and or cherries
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua or Cointreau (optional)
• Alessi Cannoli Shells

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta and sugar until well blended.
2. Add candied fruit, chocolate, cinnamon, and Kahlua.
3. Mix well.
4. Fill cannoli shells just before serving using a pastry bag.
5. Top ends of filled cannoli with your choice of decorations (candied cherries, candied orange strips, candied lemon strips, sprinkles, semi-sweet chocolate chips, toasted coconut or chopped pistachios).
6. Dust the top with confectionary sugar.
7. Serve and enjoy.