Cannoli has got to be one of my favorite desserts, but they're typically made with ricotta cheese, so they're off limits now. Usually we've bought them, but I made them once or twice with my mom, and I remember the first time I actually saw tofu I was reminded of the ricotta cheese. Somewhat bland on its own, firm but mush-able, moist, needs to be drained before using. I looked up this recipe and I'm considering tinkering around with it in the kitchen, but first I need advice from people more experienced with tofu:
FILLING:
3 cups Ricotta cheese (use the full fat kind)--> This could be replaced with tofu, but how much? firm? soft? lite? regular? Another site makes a big deal of using rennet-based rather than acid-based ricotta.
1 1/4 cups Sugar I seem to remember using powdered sugar, kind of thickened up the filling. Using a dry vegan sugar substitute won't be a problem, it's just the powdered part that might give me trouble. Isn't it just cornstarch?
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract Mom's always made a big deal about hunting down and sparingly using clear/white vanilla extract in this recipe, but the brown stuff works just as well, I think. Aesthetics, really. Makes the filling ever so slightly off-white. Either type *is* vegan, right? (If I use maple sugar, I might use maple flavoring instead, for a twist.)
1/4 cup Semi-sweet chocolate pieces I like carob chips but I don't think they'd work here, so I might just chop up a dairy-free dark chocolate bar.
SHELLS:
3 cups Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Shortening Is a less fatty option available? This is cut in with the flour as one would do with a pie crust. Applesauce?
2 Eggs -- well beaten Egg replacer or more tofu here, seeing as we might be using applesauce in place of shortening?
2 tablespoons White vinegar
2 tablespoons Cold water
1 Egg white -- slightly beatenUsed to seal the edges together once the shells are rolled around the tubes. It says to deep fry the shells, but I cringe at that. Could they not just be baked, sealed-side down, on a cookie sheet after being rolled around the tubes?
Bookmarks