Cannoli with Mascarpone Cream

Yeilds - 16 Cannoli

Ingredients

Cannoli Shells

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/8 cup sweet Marsala wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao)
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Mascarpone Creme

• 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (drained overnight w/ cheesecloth & squeezed dry)
• 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or Grand Marnier
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Instructions
Cannoli Shells

1. Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add Marsala and oil, and beat on medium speed until dough comes together. Using your hands, knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.
2. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Pass 1 piece of dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine (keep remaining pieces covered) OR roll out into a thin sheet of dough. Continue passing through narrower settings until it is the thickness of a dime. Lay on a floured work surface. Cut out rounds with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Gather scraps and reroll.
3. Pour enough oil into a large, heavy saucepan to come about 4 inches up sides. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees.
4. Wrap each round of dough around a 3 3/4-inch-long cannoli form, sealing with a dab of egg white. Working in batches of 3 or 4, fry until golden, about 1 minute. Using a wire skimmer or tongs, transfer to paper towels, and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully slide out forms, and let shells cool. Continue rolling, cutting, and frying the remaining dough.
5. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let set 15 minutes on parchment paper.

Mascarpone Cream

1. Mix filling ingredients together.
2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (at least a couple of hours).
3. When ready to serve, use a ziploc bag (cut the corner) or pastry bag with 1/2 inch star tip. Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.
4. Let the filling smoosh out of each end of the shells, just a tad.
5. Some people sprinkle powdered sugar on top right before serving or dip the ends into chocolate shavings.

Cannoli cannot be made ahead of time the shells will get soggy. You can however, make the shells and cream in advance then pipe them right before serving. After making the shells store them at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

• 2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
• 1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

1. Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. 
2. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. 
3. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. 
4. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. 
5. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. 
6. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. 
7. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Vanilla Sponge Cake

• Refined Flour - 200 g
• Eggs - 10
• Castor Sugar - 1/4 kg
• Vanilla essence - 2 tsp

1.  Beat eggs and sugar together till the sugar is dissolved 
2.  Sift flour and slowly add it to the eggs - sugar mixture followed by the vanilla essence.
3. Grease a baking mould and pour this mixture into it and bake in a preheated oven at 175 degree Celsius for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the mould and allow it to cool.

Creamy Layered Fruit Sensation

• 3Tbsp. orange juice
• 1/4tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 kg vanilla sponge cake 
• 2pkg. (1 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Pudding
• 2-1/2cups cold fat-free milk
• 1-1/2cups whipped cream
• 2pkg. (12 oz. each) frozen unsweetened mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries), thawed, well drained

1. Mix juice and extract. Drizzle over cake cubes in large bowl; toss to coat.
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3. Beat pudding mixes and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1 cup whipped cream.
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5. Reserve a few berries for garnish. Place half the cake cubes in 2-qt. glass bowl; top with layers of half each of the remaining berries and pudding mixture. Repeat layers. Refrigerate 2 hours. Top with remaining whipped cream and reserved berries just before serving.

Caramel Pastry Cream

• Sugar - 1 1/2 C
• Milk - 2 2/3 C
• Egg yolks - 4 large
• Cornstarch - 1/4 C
• Whipped Cream - 1 1/2 C

Preparation

1. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, tilt and stir sugar until melted and amber-colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour onto a sheet of foil (about 12 by 18 in.) and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Peel off foil and break caramel into chunks; put in a food processor or blender and whirl into a fine powder.
2. Combine milk and caramel powder in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan; stir over medium heat just until caramel is dissolved (it will form lumps, then melt; do not boil), 9 to 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks to blend. Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into yolks and whisk until blended, then whisk yolk mixture into pan and stir over medium-high heat just until mixture boils and thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Rub pastry cream through a fine strainer set over a bowl; discard residue. Cover pastry cream and chill about 1 hour, or nest bowl in ice water and stir until cool, about 30 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat the whipping cream until it holds soft peaks. Gently stir the whipped cream into the cool pastry cream.

Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries

Ingredients

• About 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• About 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup hazelnut- or coffee-flavor liqueur
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 oz.), rinsed and drained
• Caramel Pastry Cream ( refer to the recipe published earlier)

Preparation
1. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Coarsely chop 3 ounces of the chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in a microwave oven on full power (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total.
3. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 cup butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
4. In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, stir to combine, then beat until well blended. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread level.
5. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until cake begins to pull from pan sides, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool to room temperature in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Run a thin knife between cake and pan sides and invert onto a board to release. Cut cake into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Layer a third of the cubes in the bottom of a 3- to 3 1/2-quart trifle bowl or other straight-sided glass bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup liqueur evenly over cake. Spoon a third of the Caramel Pastry Cream over cake and spread level. Repeat to make two more layers each of cake, liqueur, and pastry cream, ending with pastry cream. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
7. Finely chop remaining 1 ounce chocolate or scrape into curls. Arrange raspberries on trifle and sprinkle chocolate evenly over berries. Scoop onto dessert plates to serve.

Adaptation: Use a good chocolate cake mix. You can also substitute caramel syrup for the caramelized sugar in the pastry cream. Fast and easy. I serve this trifle in a glass bowl with straight sides. Trifles should be seen and admired, as well as taste good.

Chocolate Marble Cheesecake

Crust
2 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
Vegetable oil cooking spray
6 chocolate wafers

Filling
15 oz (1 3/4 cup) part-skim ricotta
8 oz lowfat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1 large whole egg
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or to taste)
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons amaretto (if desired)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips

PREPARATION

For crust
Heat oven to 350˚. Toast almonds on a small baking sheet for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; reduce heat to 325˚. Coat an 8" springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap outside of pan in foil to prevent seepage. Process chocolate wafers and almonds in a food processor until fine crumbs. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp crumbs onto bottom of pan (just enough to coat bottom lightly). Shake pan to distribute evenly. Reserve remaining crumbs.

For filling
Puree ricotta in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg, egg whites, almond extract, flour and salt; puree until smooth. Whisk amaretto, if desired (or same amount of hot water), 2 tbsp hot water, cocoa powder and espresso powder in a bowl until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Stir 1 cup plain filling into chocolate mixture. Set aside.

Assembly
Pour remaining plain filling into prepared pan. Drizzle chocolate filling in a circular pattern over plain filling. Using a knife, make circular strokes to create swirls in the plain filling. Add 1 inch hot water to a shallow baking pan; place springform pan in baking pan. Bake until cheesecake is firm around the edge and slightly soft in the center, 45 to 55 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan. Remove foil; let cool on a rack. Chill 6 hours or overnight before removing sides of pan. Press reserved crumbs onto side of cheesecake.