Mini Cannoli Cream Cups....yummmmm

Chef #868551's Note:

How to make cannolis the easy way!!! i saw this recipe on line submitted by "cooking with sugar" and im telling you, this is sooo easy..from start to finish 40 min..and taste just like cannolis with out all the work

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

For cups

• flour, for dusting surface
• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 3 tablespoons raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

for filling

• 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus a little extra for dusting finished cups
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chip

Directions:

1. For cups: preheat oven 425 degrees. unroll pie crust on lightly floured surface and sprinkle the tops with the natural sugar and cinnamon. lightly roll over it with rolling pin so that the sugar and cinnamon are pressed into the dough.
2. with a 2.5 or 3" round biscuit cookie cutter, cut circles and press them inside an ungreased mini muffin pan to create the pastry cup.
3. bake 10 minutes or until cups are golden.remove from oven and allow to cool. once cool, they can be filled.
4. for filling: in a large bowl with an electric mixer combine all ingredients except the choc chips and mix well till creamy. place filling in a 1 gal plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cups.
5. remove filling from fridge, cut the bottom of corner of bag and pipe a little less then a tablespoon into the cannoli cups. sprinkle with mini choc chips and dust with powdered sugar.
6. tips: for a thicker filling, you can strain the ricotta in cheese cloth place in a bowl and covered overnite.
7. filling can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in fridge.
8. a variation in the cannolie cream that works well is 1/4 teaspoon almond or orange extract.
9. other toppings that go well are chopped toasted almonds, choc sprinkles, candied orange pieces, chopped candied red cherries as well as a sprinkle of cinnamon.
10. (i didnt have natural sugar when making these so i just used combo reg sugar and cinnamon).

Reviews

[Cooks4_6]

Quick and easy to make; a bite-sized perfection! I saw this on Pinterest and made it as one of the desserts for my Father's Day dessert plate. Fantastic and so pretty! Next time I will watch the shells more closely, or possibly use frozen mini-pastry shells.