I have been reminiscing about Boston lately. My husband and I lived in Brookline, MA for about 8 years before our daughters were born. I love the city and one of my favorite haunts is the North End. On my days off, I would meander the several miles between our condo and the North End, often stopping to shop at the farmers market. Once in the North End, I would stroll along Salem and Hanover streets, pausing to purchase spices and Italian groceries. I would save my final stop for Mike’s Pastry Shop and bring home a little box of biscotti, cannoli, and pistachio cookies. I also made sure to to stop at Mike’s on my way to the airport before flying to Chicago to visit my parents. I seriously wonder if my dad would have given me a ride home from the airport if I wasn’t carrying the signature blue and white paper box tied with string. He couldn’t wait to tear it open. Once, at O’Hare airport someone offered me $20 for whatever was in the Mike’s box, I refused knowing my dad would have been so upset if I sold his goodies.
A trip down memory lane about the North End would not be complete without cannoli – especially a version inspired by Mike’s chocolate dipped cannoli. Really, what could be more decadent than dipping the whole cannoli shell in chocolate and stuffing it with cream. I knew I wanted to make a dairy free version of the cream. While I did not make my own cannoli shells this time around, the mini cannoli shells I ordered on Amazon were delicious!
Chocolate Dipped Almond Ricotta Cannoli
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar more to taste if desired
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2-3 tbsp almond milk if needed to thin ricotta cream
- 2 cups 72% chocolate chips
- 12 mini cannoli shells
Powdered sugar, sea salt, fresh fruit, and additional chocolate for serving if desired.
Instructions
- Place almonds in a large measuring cup and soak in hot water for 3 hours.
- Drain almonds and place in a high speed blender with 1/3 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Blend until smooth and taste. Add additional sugar if desired and non-dairy milk if the ricotta cream is too thick. Blend again.
- Store the almond ricotta in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Place the chocolate chips in a double boiler or a microwave safe bowl and melt. Add sea salt to melted chocolate if desired.
- While the chocolate is melting, stuff each cannoli shell with ricotta cream and place a plate lined with wax paper.
- Brush each stuffed cannoli with melted chocolate and place on wax paper.
- Refrigerate dipped cannoli until chocolate has hardened.
Serving suggestions: sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh fruit and additional chocolate.
