Ingredients:
For the Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
2 cups ricotta cheese, well-drained
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
For the Garnish:
Powdered sugar for dusting
Mini chocolate chips
Chopped pistachios (optional)
Traditional cannoli have a crispy shell that encases the ricotta filling, but since we’re making Ricotta Cannoli Squares, the approach is a bit different. The squares have a crust base rather than a shell around the filling. However, if you want to create a top layer that mimics the shell, you could make an additional batch of the crust dough, bake it separately until crisp, and then crumble it over the top for a crunchy texture. Here’s how you could do it:
Ingredients for the Top Crust:
Use the same ingredients as the crust/base.
Instructions for the Top Crust:
Follow the same procedure for making the crust dough as outlined in the original crust recipe.
Instead of pressing the dough into the pan, roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
Place the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet and remove the top layer of parchment paper.
Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes or until it’s golden brown and crisp.
Once baked, allow it to cool completely. Then, break it into small crumbles or process it into coarse crumbs using a food processor.
Assembling the Cannoli Squares with the Top Crust:
After you have spread the ricotta filling over the cooled base crust and it has set in the refrigerator, sprinkle the baked and crumbled top crust evenly over the filling.
