Italian Dessert Pastry: Delight in Creamy Cannoli and Puff Pastry Treats

You might have heard of Cannoli in authentic Italian restaurants. Well, whether you're acquainted with it or not, this lovely Italian dessert pastry came about when the Arabs invaded Italy, introducing sugar and citrus fruits, some of the important ingredients of Cannoli, to the country. The puffed pastry shell was fried and filled with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips, and candied fruits.

Culinary legends claim puff pastry treats were born in France during the 17th century. Over time, these pastries were developed and spread around the rest of the world.

Whether you have it with a side of cappuccino, as a midnight snack, or as an after meal dessert, these light, and crunchy pastry rolls are suitable for all occasions not just because of how convenient they are to eat, but also because they are incredibly easy to make once you master the recipe for puff pastries.

Interestingly, despite its French roots in puff pastry, Cannolli happens to be a darling of Italian bakeries. Conceptually and theoretically, Cannoli is similar to French croissants, in that both have a bread/pastry with an airy filling in the center.

Creamy Cannoli:

This Italian classic is a step ahead of your regular chocolate desserts and candy crisps. Its crunchy outer shell is filled with sweetened ricotta cheese and chocolate chips and can make you drop your calorie count just to get a taste of it.

Ingredients:

• 500 gm flour
• 255 gm sugar
• 120 gm lard/butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 240 gm ricotta cheese
• 100 gm sugar
• 55 gm cocoa powder
• 100 gm chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Then, mix flour, confectioners' sugar, and lard or vegetable oil together in a mixing bowl.
3. Gradually add eggs and vinegar to the dry mix, and knead until a dough forms.
4. You have to continue to knead this dough for about 10 minutes till it becomes smooth.
5. Wrap the dough in plastic or cling film, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
6. After that, you have to roll out the dough to 5 mm thickness.
7. Carefully use a cookie cutter to cut out circles in this dough.
8. Then, fry these circles in hot oil until they turn brown.
9. To ensure they don't become soggy, you have to remember to drain the shells of any oil on paper towels.
10. To make the filling, combine ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder, and mix them until smooth.
11. Then, stir in chocolate chips to finish the ricotta mixture.
12. You can then fill the shells with this sweetened ricotta mixture.
13. Before serving, dust some confectioners' sugar on top. To gourmet the dish up, slice a few strawberries and carefully place them on the Cannoli.

Custard with Puff Pastry Triangles:

Ingredients:

• 20 sheets of puff pastry
• 70 gm melted butter
• 500 ml cream
• 200 gm sugar
• 55 gm cornstarch
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 gm butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Then, layer up your puff pastry sheets on top of the other by brushing melted butter on each sheer.
3. Carefully, cut rectangles into the pastry with a knife.
4. Then, line a baking tray with parchment paper, and transfer the pastry on top.
5. You have to set it to bake for 15-20 minutes, and then let it cool down.
6. Moving on to the custard, whisk heavy cream, granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat.
7. You must take care to stir it constantly till it thickens.
8. Then, add vanilla extract and melted butter to the thick concoction, and stir some more.
9. You can then layer the pastry with the custard, and top it with some caramelized sugar.
10. Before serving, you can drizzle some dark chocolate syrup to further accentuate the flavors.

For the perfect texture, you have to abide by the steps given in the recipe. If you want to add your own twist, you can add spices like nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, or even cinnamon powder to your cream filling. Who knows, you might give rise to yet another culinary delight. The key here is to have lots of fun!

You are guaranteed to get carried across the sun-kissed hills of Italy and to the alluring patisseries of France. Whether it is the creamy sweetness or the indulgence of flaky pastry, these puff pastry treats will satisfy all your sweet cravings.