Best Cream Filling Recipes

HOLLAND CREAM (WHITE CREAM FILLING)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, stir the white sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is boiling. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. Pour the syrup into a large mixing bowl, and beat in vegetable oil, shortening, and clear vanilla extract with an electric mixer on high speed to blend.
• Beat in the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the filling is thick and fluffy. If it's too thick, beat in a tablespoon of water at a time until it's the correct consistency.

LEMON LAYER CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM FILLING AND FROSTING

Steps:

• For the lemon cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, then insert a round of parchment cut to fit just inside the bottom of each pan. Butter the parchment, then flour the pans, tapping out any excess flour.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
• Using an electric, standing or hand mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until very fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla followed by the lemon zest and juice--the mixture may appear to break apart a bit or curdle, but it will come back together when the flour is added, so don't panic! Add about a third of the flour mixture and mix until just barely incorporated, then add half of the milk and blend. Repeat with one-third of the flour mixture, the rest of the milk and the rest of the flour mixture and blend until the ingredients are just completely incorporated.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl in the middle of this process. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly and smoothing the tops. Bake until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the insides of the pans to make sure the sides don't stick, place a wire rack over the top of each pan and invert the cake onto the wire rack. Peel off the parchment and cool completely.
• For the lemon filling: While the cakes are baking, make the lemon curd. Whisk the granulated sugar, lemon juice, butter, egg yolks and salt in a small nonreactive saucepan. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Place the lemon curd in a small bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the surface and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours and up to a week.
• Briskly stir the lemon zest into the chilled curd to blend well. In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream just until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the lemon curd with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour but not more than 6 hours.
• For the lemon frosting: In a large bowl with an electric, standing or hand mixer, beat the confectioners' sugar with the butter on low speed until combined, then turn the beater speed to high and add the cream and lemon zest and juice. Beat until fluffy.
• To assemble the cake, place each cake layer upside down on a round of cardboard or a flat plate. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, frost the top and sides of each cake layer with a very thin layer of the lemon frosting. Place the cake layers in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the thin layer of frosting.
• Place the bottom layer of cake on the platter that you will be serving it on and tuck thick strips of wax or parchment paper under the edges of the cake to keep the platter clean. Spread the lemon filling over the bottom layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around so the filling has a bit of room to spread when you place the second layer on top. Cover the filling with the raspberries, then place the second layer of cake on top.
• Frost the cake with the rest of the frosting. The cake will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, though it's best within a day of making. Bring to room temperature before serving.

PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES WITH CREAM-CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together oil, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Add brown sugar and whisk until combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
• Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.
• Make the filling: Sift confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)
• Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

MOCHA LAYER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-RUM CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For filling and topping:
• Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add 20 ounces chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in rum and vanilla. Transfer 1 cup warm chocolate mixture to small bowl; whisk remaining 2 ounces chocolate into mixture in bowl and set aside for topping. Cover; let stand at room temperature. Transfer remaining chocolate mixture to large bowl to use as filling; chill until cold and thick, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• For syrup:
• Stir water and sugar in small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; mix in rum. Cover and let stand up to 1 day.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line bottom with waxed paper; butter paper. Combine vanilla and coffee powder in cup; swirl to dissolve coffee. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until very thick and light in color, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla-coffee mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture. Fold in half of flour mixture. Fold in half of remaining whites, then remaining flour mixture, then remaining whites. Transfer batter to prepared pan; gently spread to even thickness.
• Bake cake until puffed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool in pan on rack (cake may shrink slightly).
• Cut around pan to loosen cake. Turn out onto work surface; peel off paper. Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Place 1 half, cut side up, on platter. Drizzle half of syrup (about 3 1/2 tablespoons) over. Using electric mixer, beat cold chocolate filling until thick and lighter in color, less than 1 minute. Spread all of filling evenly over cake layer, aligning with sides of cake (filling will be about 1 inch thick). Drizzle remaining syrup over cut side of second cake layer. Place layer, syrup side down, atop filling; press to adhere. Rewarm topping over low heat just until pourable. Pour topping onto top center of cake. Using small spatula, spread topping to edges, being careful to keep it from spilling over. Chill cake up to 1 day, covering loosely with foil or with cake dome after 2 hours.
• Cut cake into 16 squares and serve.

CREAM PUFFS WITH CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• For creampuffs: heat the water and margarine to boiling in a saucepan. Stir in all at once the sifted flour.
• Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture leaves pan and forms into a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat; cool.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat mixture until smooth and velvety.
• Drop from teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes in 425 degree oven then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
• Remove from oven, gut gash to allow steam to escape (I guess in the middle so you can fill them). Fill with custard filling.
• For custard filling: melt margarine in a saucepan. Blend in cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add milk. Heat to boiling over direct heat. Stir mixture into slightly beaten egg yolks.
• Return to heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Cool thoroughly. Makes 2 cups.

PEANUT BUTTER MOON PIE: CHOCOLATE CAKE, GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST, PEANUT BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FILLING, MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 36 muffin liners. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and butter in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined. Press 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the cupcake liners and bake for 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla and coffee and mix for about a minute until well combined. Fill the 36 muffin pans with the pre-baked graham cracker crust three-quarters full with batter and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• For the peanut butter cream cheese filling: Whip the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Finally, add the peanut butter and mix until fully incorporated.
• For the marshmallow frosting: In small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, 5 ounces water and the cream of tarter and boil until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and vanilla until firm peaks form. With mixer on high, slowly stream the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites and mix for about 3 minutes.
• To assemble: Use a knife to cut a hole out of the center of the cupcakes. Fill with peanut butter cream cheese filling with a spoon and frost with marshmallow frosting.

CARROT BUNDT® CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Combine cream cheese, sugar, and egg in a bowl for filling, mixing until well blended. Set aside.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt for cake in a bowl. Add oil and eggs; mix until moistened. Fold in carrots. Reserve 2 cups of batter; pour remaining batter into the prepared pan. Pour cream cheese mixture over batter. Spoon reserved batter carefully over cream cheese mixture, spreading to cover.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BEST EVER CREAM PUFFS WITH VANILLA FILLING

Steps:

• preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• bring butter/margarine and water to a boil in medium saucepan.
• take off heat
• stir in all flour and salt until it balls up.
• let cool 10 minutes
• beat in eggs, one at a time.
• drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
• bake for 15 minutes.
• reduce heat to 325 degrees.
• bake for 25 minutes.
• Do Not Open The Oven during this time.
• Start the cream filling during cooking.
• mix instant pudding with milk.
• add cool whip
• blend until smooth.
• slice open shells and fill with filling.
• sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BOSTON CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Combine sugar, cornstarch & salt in saucepan. Add milk, vanilla & egg yolks, stir with wire wisk until blended. Cook over medium heat, strring constantly until thickened. Cool completely.
• You can also add a cup of whipped cream to make a fluffier, moussie type filling, or 2 oz. of baking chocolate for a chocolatey one.

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH VANILLA-CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Set 2 racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. In a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. While pulsing or on low speed, add the butter, then the egg. Process or beat until the dough is thoroughly blended and massed together. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto nonstick or parchment-lined cookie sheets at 2-inch intervals. With moistened fingers, round out the cookies and flatten them a little. Bake for 9 minutes, turning the pans once for even baking, until the cookies are set. Set the cookie sheets on a rack to cool.
• Vanilla-Cream Filling: Put the butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and, at low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, until blended. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 2 or 3 minutes more, until fluffy.
• With a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip, pipe teaspoon size blobs of filling onto the tops of half the cookies. Keeping the smooth bottoms of the cookies facing up, flip the remaining cookies on top of the filling and lightly press to form sandwiches.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH RASPBERRY CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• CHOCOLATE CAKE.
• Prepare Chocolate Cake according to package directions in two 9 inch cake pans.
• Cool completely. For best results and time permitting, place the layers in freezer until firm.
• RASPBERRY CREAM FILLING.
• Place softened cream cheese and jam in a mixing bowl and cream together until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Use more or less than 2 cups, as desired.
• Frost only ONE of the cooled layers leaving a 1 inch unfrosted margin all around the edge of the layer. Then place the other layer on the Raspberry Filling. The top layer will push the Raspberry Filling toward the edges of the cake, that's why it's important to leave the 1 inch margin.
• CHOCOLATE FROSTING.
• Beat the frosting in mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes.
• Completely frost the sides of the cake.
• Put remaining frosting in decorating bag. Using a large star tip, create a shell border around the top of the cake. The border will keep the ganache on top of the cake. Place cake in refrigerator until ganache is ready.
• RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE GANACHE.
• Combine cocoa, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and whisk.
• Gradually add water and jam, continue to whisk the mixture.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly.
• Remove from the heat and stir in raspberry liqueur, if using.
• Let cool slightly.
• Remove cake from refrigerator and pour/spread ganache on top.
• Garnish with candies or raspberries.

STRAWBERRY-CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Put cream cheese, butter, and sugar into mixer bowl; mix until creamy. Mix in vanilla. Puree strawberries in a food processor; strain. Mix 3/4 cup puree into cream cheese mixture (reserve remaining puree for Swiss-Meringue Buttercream). Use immediately or refrigerate airtight up to 3 days; stir before using.

CARROT CAKE OATMEAL WHOOPIE PIES, WITH PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FILLING RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. (I used a Norpro Muffin Top baking pan, but this isn't mandatory.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer), combine the sugars and butter. Beat until fluffy--about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs, and beat until well combined. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and whisk together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the oats, carrots and raisins with a spatula. Using a medium ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto the prepared sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between cookies. Gently press the cookies until flat. Bake between 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even baking. They should be lightly golden brown around the edges. NOTE: These make 8 HUGE whoopie pies, so user a smaller scoop to make smaller whoopie pies. Reduce the baking time between 10-12 minutes each. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.) To assemble the whoopie pies, turn one cookie with the baked bottom facing up. Scoop some filling, and gently press another cookie on top. Wrap in plastic wrap. Keep whoopie pies refrigerated, and bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before eating. Stores for up to 5 days, refrigerated.

DESSERT CREPES WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• To make strawberry cream: Combine the strawberries and sugar and chill, anywhere from an hour to overnight.
• Drain excess water from strawberries and sugar.
• In mixing bowl blend cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Stir in reserved strawberries.
• To make dessert crepes: Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients (batter can be refrigerated up to 2 hours).
• Heat pan over med-high heat (you can use an actual crepe pan, but I just use a small frying pan).
• When a few drops of water sprinkled on the pan bounces is about the right temperature.
• Pour about 1/8 C of batter into pan, tilting to spread evenly.
• When the crepe has turned a light brown color you may or may not want to turn to brown other side.
• Turn to brown other side if batter has not set.
• Fill crepes with strawberry cream.
• May serve immedietly or chills well in the refrigerator (up to 2 days).
• Before serving I usually sprinkle a little extra powdered sugar on the crepes.
• The dessert crepe receipe will also work well with many other fillings.

BEER BATTER CREPES WITH BANANA CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Whisk flour, beer, eggs, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl to form a smooth batter.
• Toss bananas with enough lemon juice to coat in a separate bowl.
• Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar together in a separate bowl until light and fluffy; fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture to form the cheese filling. Set aside.
• Heat white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove sauce pan from heat and stir boiling water into melted sugar. Return to heat and stir until it forms a smooth and clear syrup.
• Whisk cornstarch and 1/2 cup water together in a small bowl; add to syrup in saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and clear, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk butter into syrup to form a caramel sauce.
• Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in an 8-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup crepe batter into heated oil. Tip and rotate the skillet until batter covers the entire area. Cook until the batter turns from wet to moist, and the edges begin to curl away from the sides of the skillet. Flip crepe and continue cooking until lightly golden on the other side. Place crepe onto a plate, and cover with a kitchen towel to keep moist. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly oiling the skillet as needed with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil each time to keep the crepes from sticking.
• Assemble crepes by spreading about 2 tablespoons caramel sauce over each crepe. Spread 1/8 the cream cheese filling onto the caramel layer; top with 1/8 the bananas. Roll the crepe around the bananas and place seam-side down on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining crepes and ingredients. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over crepes.

BASIC CREAM PIE FILLING

Steps:

• 1. Mix flour and sugar in your sauce pan. Then add milk, salt, butter; slightly whip egg yolks until incorporated together and add to other ingredients in pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whip tool. When the mixture thickens and starts to come to a boil, remove from heat; add vanilla. Pour into pie shell.
• 2. Variations: Chocolate pie - add 3 tbs cocoa to flour and sugar. For coconut, add 1 cup of coconut after removing from heat. For pineapple, add 1 small can drained, crushed pineapple after removing from heat. For lemon, add lemon juice to your "taste".
• 3. Pour filling into baked pie shell. Serve with whipped cream, or top with Marshmellow Creme Meringue* and bake until meringue is lightly browned. *Posted on JAP

MOCHA LAYER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-RUM CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• For filling and topping: Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer.
• Remove from heat.
• Add 20 ounces chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth.
• Whisk in rum and vanilla.
• Transfer 1 cup warm chocolate mixture to small bowl; whisk remaining 2 ounces chocolate into mixture in bowl and set aside for topping.
• Cover; let stand at room temperature.
• Transfer remaining chocolate mixture to large bowl to use as filling; chill until cold and thick, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• For syrup: Stir water and sugar in small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat; mix in rum.
• Cover and let stand up to 1 day.
• For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
• Line bottom with waxed paper; butter paper.
• Combine vanilla and coffee powder in cup; swirl to dissolve coffee.
• Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into small bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until very thick and light in color, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in vanilla-coffee mixture.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.
• Fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture.
• Fold in half of flour mixture.
• Fold in half of remaining whites, then remaining flour mixture, then remaining whites.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan; gently spread to even thickness.
• Bake cake until puffed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.
• Cool in pan on rack (cake may shrink slightly).
• Cut around pan to loosen cake.
• Turn out onto work surface; peel off paper.
• Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half.
• Place 1 half, cut side up, on platter.
• Drizzle half of syrup (about 3 1/2 Tablespoons) over cake.
• Using electric mixer, beat cold chocolate filling until thick and lighter in color, less than 1 minute.
• Spread all of filling evenly over cake layer, aligning with sides of cake (filling will be about 1 inch thick).
• Drizzle remaining syrup over cut side of second cake layer.
• Place second layer, syrup side down, atop filling; press to adhere.
• Rewarm topping over low heat just until pourable.
• Pour topping onto top center of cake.
• Using small spatula, spread topping to edges, being careful to keep it from spilling over.
• Chill cake up to 1 day, covering loosely with foil or with cake dome after 2 hours of chilling.
• Cut cake into 16 squares and serve.

CHOCOLATE BEER CUPCAKES WITH WHISKEY FILLING AND IRISH CREAM ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Bring Irish stout beer and 1 cup butter to a boil in a saucepan and set aside until butter has melted, stirring occasionally. Mix in cocoa powder until smooth.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
• Beat eggs with sour cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Slowly beat in the beer mixture, then the flour mixture; beat until the batter is smooth.
• Divide batter between the prepared cupcake cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.
• Cool the cupcakes completely. Cut cores out of the center of each cupcake with a sharp paring knife. Discard cores.
• Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat; stir in bittersweet chocolate until melted.
• Mix in 2 tablespoons butter and Irish whiskey until butter is melted; let mixture cool to room temperature. Filling will thicken as it cools.
• Spoon the filling into the cored cupcakes.
• For frosting, whip 1/2 cup butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Set mixer to low speed and slowly beat in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the Irish cream liqueur; adjust thickness of frosting with more confectioners' sugar if needed.
• Spread frosting on filled cupcakes.

CANNOLI SHELLS AND RICOTTA CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Three or more days in advance of making the cannoli shells set the ricotta in a colander inside of a large bowl.
• Scrape the ricotta into the colander and cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for two days, until it is dry.
• To make the dough for cannoli shells: In a small bowl put eggs.
• Beat eggs; add vanilla and ice water to eggs.
• In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon.
• Add the shortening and mix until crumbly.
• Make well in dry mixture and add wet mixture.
• Using your hands mix together, if it is dry, add more ice water.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 3 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a flattened ball.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces.
• Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine or the dough can be rolled on a board with a rolling pin.
• Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep the pieces from sticking.
• Continue to pass the dough through the machine until you reach the last or second to last setting.
• You might need to run the dough through the pasta machine three times.
• The dough needs to be thin-about the same thickness as construction paper; cut the dough into 4 1/2 inch circles. (Giovanna's cannoli tubes are 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.).
• Continue rolling out the remaining dough.
• If you do not have enough cannoli tubes for all of the dough, lay the pieces of dough on sheets of plastic wrap and keep them covered until you are ready to use them.
• Put a rack in the bottom of a large heavy kettle that you plan on putting your peanut oil into so that your cannoli shells do not touch the bottom and burn. (Giovanna uses a restaurant kettle that is about 18 inches in diameter.).
• Pour about 2 inches of oil in a smaller kettle. Giovanna used 4 quarts but her kettle is huge!
• Heat oil until a deep frying thermometer shows 375 degrees.
• Oil the cannoli tubes by placing them in the hot oil then draining them in a metal bowl (you need the oil on the tube so that later the cannoli shell will slip off easily).
• Lay the dough circle flat, center the tube on it, bring left edge onto tube, dab it with egg white, bring up right side of dough circle, dab it with egg white, and roll the tube; do not press the dough. You do not want the dough to be too tight on the tube, or you will have difficulty later getting your cannoli off. Be careful not to stretch the dough or pull it tightly. Avoid, as best as possible, getting egg white on the tube, or the cannoli will stick to it.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan.
• Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly.
• With tongs, remove the cannoli tubes, holding them straight up so that the oil flows back into the pan.
• Then drain the cannoli still on tube briefly in a metal bowl.
• While the cannoli shells are still hot, carefully slide the shells off the tubes by grasping each tube with a clean towel and gently twisting the cannoli shell off the tube with your other hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. On another work surface area, lay oilcloth or newspaper, topped with a large rack.
• When the cannoli shells are barely warm set them on top of the rack.
• It is important that the shells stay on the racks overnight.
• Repeat with the remaining dough.
• If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough; set aside.
• The cannoli shells can be made up to 2 months before serving if you drain them properly overnight, and store them in sealed containers in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator.
• To make the ricotta cream, put the thoroughly dry ricotta in a large mixing bowl with a wire whip and blend until creamy.
• Add the confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon oil; blend until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate pieces. Store the ricotta cream in the refrigerator for 48 hours. After 48 hours, serve and freeze the rest.
• Frozen ricotta cream can be defrosted in the refrigerator later.
• To assemble, use a knife to push the ricotta cream into the cannoli shell.
• Place the cannoli on a serving platter and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
• Use within an hour.

DANISH - CREAM CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Mix sugar.
• Add egg yolk.
• Chill.