Mega Twinkannoli Recipes

MEGA TWINKANNOLI

Steps:

• Strain the ricotta over a bowl with a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Place in fridge overnight.
• Remove the ricotta from the fridge and & place in a food processor with blade attachment. Pulse in a food processor until the cheese is smooth.
• In a standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk ½ cup whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
• Add ricotta to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (no need to clean out bowl or whisk for this step) add both zests, vanilla, cinnamon and ½ cup of powdered sugar until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Gently fold in the cream into the cheese mixture, careful to not collapse the cream. Place in fridge for about 1 hour.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours before filling cakes.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to middle position.
• Spray two (9"L 3.5"W 2"D) loaf pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cream of tartar and set aside.
• In a small pan, heat the milk and butter on low until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the stove and whisk in the vanilla, orange zest and lemon zest.
• Separate the egg whites and yolks.
• In a standing mixer with a fitted whisk, beat the whites on high speed until the mixture becomes foamy.
• Gradually add the cream of tartar, and 6 tablespoons of sugar. Continue to beat until soft peaks form.
• Remove whites from bowl of standing mixer and set aside. In the mixer bowl, combine the egg yolks and 6 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on medium high until mixture is a light yellow color and thick. Combine whites to the yolks but do not mix.
• Sprinkle the dry mixture over the egg whites. Mix on low for about 10 seconds, or until blended. Do not over mix- this will deflate the eggs.
• Create a well in the center of the batter and add the melted butter mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold gently until thoroughly combined.
• Fill the two loaf pans about ¾ of the way high and place the loaves on a sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway, until the tops are golden and after inserting a toothpick comes out clean of crumbs or batter. Let cool completely.
• Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans. With bottom side down, create 4-6 puncture marks on the topside of the cake along the center with a rounded piping tip. Be sure to create space in the cakes for the filling.
• With a pastry bag fitted with a rounded tip, fill the cakes with the ricotta mixture until a bit billows out. After filling the cakes, flip them upside down to resemble authentic twinkies.
• Slice and serve!

CANNOLI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the shortening until it is in pieces no larger than peas. Make a well in the center, and pour in the egg, egg yolk, Marsala wine, vinegar and water. Mix with a fork until the dough becomes stiff, then finish it by hand, kneading on a clean surface. Add a bit more water if needed to incorporate all of the dry ingredients. Knead for about 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Divide the cannoli dough into thirds, and flatten each one just enough to get through the pasta machine. Roll the dough through successively thinner settings until you have reached the thinnest setting. Dust lightly with flour if necessary. Place the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a form or large glass or bowl, cut out 4 to 5 inch circles. Dust the circles with a light coating of flour. This will help you later in removing the shells from the tubes. Roll dough around cannoli tubes, sealing the edge with a bit of egg white.
• Heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or deep heavy skillet. Fry shells on the tubes a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Use tongs to turn as needed. Carefully remove using the tongs, and place on a cooling rack set over paper towels. Cool just long enough that you can handle the tubes, then carefully twist the tube to remove the shell. Using a tea towel may help you get a better grip. Wash or wipe off the tubes, and use them for more shells. Cooled shells can be placed in an airtight container and kept for up to 2 months. You should only fill them immediately or up to 1 hours before serving.
• To make the filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in lemon zest and chocolate. Use a pastry bag to pipe into shells, filling from the center to one end, then doing the same from the other side. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar and grated chocolate for garnish when serving.