Italian cuisine is one of the most delicious cuisines out there. While they are popular for their pasta and cheesy pizzas, they have made an exceptional range of desserts that tantalize the tastebuds. Having said that, there is an extensive range of desserts made by Italian chefs, which is why we have a cannoncini vs. cannoli comparison as these two are widely confused with each other!
Cannoli vs Cannoncini
Cannoli
Cannoli is an Italian pastry that’s made in the form of tube-shape shells – these shells are made from fried pastry dough and are filled with a creamy and sweet filling. In most cases, the filling has ricotta, which has become a staple in Sicilian cuisine. The cannolis are available in sizes ranging from 9cm to 20cm, and in mainland Italy, it’s known as Cannoli Siciliani. According to the majority of people, it originated between 827 and 1091 in Sicily.
It has become an annual staple in Poland and is available all year round. Similar recipes are available in the Middle East, which are usually filled with nuts and other sweets. It’s one of the richest and most decadent desserts out there and has become an Italian staple. When it comes down to filling, the traditional filling has a sweet and creamy cheese filling, and the pastry shell is pretty crispy as it’s made from a combination of butter, flour, whole eggs, and sugar.
In most cases, the cone’s dough is spiked with fortified wine that enhances the sweetness and flavor of the pastry. Many people don’t realize this, but the addition of wine helps in tenderizing the pastry, which results in a flaky texture. As far as the filling is concerned, it’s traditionally spiked with orange zest and lemon to add brightness to the flavor. In addition, it has ricotta cheese and sugar, while some people also add mascarpone. Some restaurants also dust the cannolis with powdered sugar.
When it comes down to the flavor, the cannolis are sweet, but the filling is usually smooth, creamy, and rich, and many people feel the cheesy undertones. In addition, the shells have a subtle sweetness with a crispy and flaky texture. However, the pastry tubes are still strong enough to handle the filling. In addition to the traditional filling, many people also add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and candied fruits, while some people dip it in melted chocolate as well.
Cannoncini
Cannoncini is one of the most elegant pastry desserts available on the market and is very similar to cannoli. These tubes aren’t fried, which reduces the richness significantly, and are easier to fill with the pastry cream. In addition, it can be filled with ricotta filling. This is an Italian pastry that’s made with tube-shaped shells and has a creamy and sweet filling. It is also known as cannoli piemontesi, which is decorated with nocciola piemonte and biscuit grains.
The preparation is pretty simple as there are limited preparation steps to make these pastries. When it comes down to the filling, it’s made with a combination of eggs, milk, fine-ground flour, sugar, and vanilla pods. The pastries can be garnished with nuts or powdered sugar, depending on your taste preferences. The puff pastries are cut into around 3cm wide strips and are painted with beaten eggs as it helps create a crispy and flaky texture.
These pastries are baked at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for over twenty minutes and are cooled down before you add filling. The filling is usually made from liquid-y ingredients, but the cream is added to thicken the texture. Also, the filling has to be cooled down before it’s added to the pastry tubes. They can be finished with nuts to add some crunchiness to the dessert as the pastries are less crispy. Currently, it’s not popular as Sicilian cannoli, but it is still widely available in Italy.
Traditionally, the pastry tubes are filled with creamy and luscious pistachio filling. The unique factor about this pastry is that it literally melts in the mouth and feels velvety in the mouth. To enhance the flavor, it’s recommended that you dip the other end in chocolate and dust it up with powdered sugar. These pastries are available in Italian restaurants around the globe, and you can even make them at home as the cannoncini tubes are available in frozen form.