Ingredients:
200ml milk
200ml butter
300g wheat flour
For the Custard:
500ml milk
4 egg yolks
130g sugar
40g cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
Preparation:
Start by heating the milk in a saucepan and add the cinnamon stick. After bringing everything to a boil, turn down the heat.. Let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes to infuse the milk with cinnamon flavor. Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk.
In a separate bowl, mix a glass of milk with cornstarch until it dissolves completely. Add the sugar and egg yolks, and mix well with a whisk or spoon until combined. Slowly pour this mixture into the hot milk while stirring continuously with a whisk or chopsticks. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a custard consistency. Be careful not to let it stick to the bottom of the pan. Take it off the heat after it has thickened.
Transfer the custard into a container and cover it with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely outside the refrigerator.
In a bowl, mix the room temperature butter with milk. Gradually add the flour while stirring with a wooden or silicone spoon. Keep mixing until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and forms a homogeneous dough. It should to be silky rather than tacky.
Take small portions of the dough, about 15 grams each or slightly smaller than a walnut, and shape them into balls. Place the dough balls on a plate sprinkled with a little flour to prevent sticking. Flatten each ball on a floured work surface and place a cannoli tube or a cylindrical object on top. Roll the dough around the tube, making sure the edges of the flattened dough meet. Gently press and roll the tube on the table to shape the cannoli shell. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, depending on the number of molds you have.
Heat a large amount of olive oil in a frying pan for deep-frying the cannoli shells (approximately half a liter). Once the oil is hot, carefully place the cannoli shells into the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry them until golden brown and crispy. Once done, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. To remove the tubes, use a paper towel or cloth to hold them, as they may be hot. Gently twist and remove the tubes to release the cannoli shells.
Fill the cannoli shells with the prepared custard. You can use a pastry bag or spoon to fill the shells. Start by piping or spooning the custard into the center of each shell and then fill the edges, leaving a small space at each end. Optionally, you can sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar over the filled cannoli using a sieve for an extra touch.
Serve the crispy cannoli immediately or refrigerate for a short time before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Enjoy the delicious homemade cannoli