Pistachio Florentine Cannoli
We flipped the script on a traditionally deep-fried cannoli. Instead, we used delicate florentine cookies as the shells and piped them full of a lightly sweetened ricotta mixture. The first few cookies might be a little tricky to mold but you’ll get the hang of it. If the cookies harden before you have a chance to form all of them, stick them back in the oven for a minute or two to soften. You’ll want to fill them just before serving, but you can make the cookies up to a week ahead of time. Keep them tightly covered in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- Florentines:
- 1¾ cups shelled roasted, salted pistachios
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Filling:
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons lime zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh juice (about 4 limes)
- 1 cup shelled roasted, salted pistachios, finely chopped
Directions
- Prepare the Florentines: Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place pistachios and ¼ cup of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground.
- Combine cream, butter, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high; bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove pan from heat; stir in ground pistachio mixture, flour, and vanilla, stirring until a smooth paste forms. Working in batches, spoon tablespoonfuls of the mixture 3 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper (you should have 6 cookies per sheet).
- Bake until bubbly and browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on pans 3 to 4 minutes. While still warm, remove cookies from pans with an offset spatula, and shape each cookie around the handle of wooden spoon (or a cannoli mold if you have one). If cookies get too firm before shaping, return to oven for 1 minute to soften. Let cookies cool until set, about 5 minutes. Gently slide off spoon, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Let baking sheets cool then repeat with remaining dough.
- Prepare the Filling: Beat cream, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir together ricotta, lime zest, and lime juice in a large bowl. Stir one-third of whipped cream into ricotta mixture; gently fold in remaining whipped cream. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- To assemble cannoli, fill cannoli shells with ricotta mixture. Dip ends of cannoli in finely chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.
