Classic Cannoli Filling
Crema classica per cannoli siciliani
A smooth ricotta filling with controlled sweetness, citrus and optional chocolate, pistachio or candied peel.
A smooth ricotta filling with controlled sweetness, citrus and optional chocolate, pistachio or candied peel.
About 1.25 kg filling, enough for roughly 35-45 medium cannoli
Ingredients
Filling
- Well-drained ricotta, sheep's-milk ricotta preferred; drain 12-24 hours1 kg
- Icing sugar, sifted; reduce to 250 g for a less-sweet filling280 g
- Vanilla bean paste or extract5 ml
- Orange zest, finely grated4 g
- Lemon zest, optional1 g
- Fine sea salt1 g
- Marsala, optional house variation10 ml
- Mini dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, optional100 g
- Roasted pistachios, optional, finely chopped60 g
- Candied citrus peel, optional, finely diced80 g
Method
Drain the ricotta in a fine sieve or cheesecloth in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. It should be dense and free of visible whey.
Pass the drained ricotta through a fine sieve. Do not whip aggressively.
Fold in the icing sugar gradually, then the vanilla, orange zest, optional lemon zest and salt. Add the Marsala only if using and only if the base is firm enough to absorb it.
Fold in one chosen garnish, if any: chocolate, pistachio or candied peel.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Pipe into fully cooled cannoli shells immediately before serving, filling from both ends.
Chef’s notes
- Mascarpone is not required to stabilise properly drained ricotta. If the mixture is loose, drain the ricotta longer.
- Marsala is treated as an optional house variation rather than a required filling ingredient.
- Filled cannoli soften quickly, so keep shells and cream separate until service.
Allergens and diet
Milk. Tree nuts if pistachio is used.
Last refined · September 2026