Easy Italian Desserts: Even Nonna Will Be Impressed Cannoli with vanilla custard

 Oh hey there, dessert lovers! Ready to whip up some Easy Italian Desserts that'll make even the strictest nonna smile with pride? We're diving into the delicious world of Cannoli with Vanilla Custard. Trust me, it’s easier than you think and you'll be the star of any dinner party with these bad boys.

Cannoli with Vanilla Custard

First up, let’s gather everything you need so you’re not running around like a headless chicken.

Ingredients:

For the Cannoli Dough:

• 270g plain flour (That’s about 1 3/4 cups, folks)

• 45g icing sugar (1/4 cup for the sweet tooths)

• 50g unsalted butter, chopped into little buttery cubes

• 1 whole egg + 1 extra egg, but you’ll only need the white part

• 1 tbsp marsala (for that authentic Italian kick)

For the Vanilla Custard:

• 1L milk (4 cups to make it creamy)
• 5 egg yolks (save the whites for a healthy omelet or something)
• 215g caster sugar (Yep, 1 full cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (for that vanilla hug)
• 105g cornflour (that’s 3/4 cup, to thicken it up)
• 60g unsalted butter, more cubes of joy

And:

• 12 cannelloni tubes (for molding)
• Vegetable oil (get ready to deep-fry)
• More icing sugar to shower over them

Here’s how you’ll make the magic happen:

Dough Time:

1. Blend flour, icing sugar, and butter cubes in a food processor until they look like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in 1 whole egg, the egg white, and that marsala. Blend until it clumps.
2. Knead it on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then wrap it up and chill in the fridge for an hour.

Custard Creation:

1. Heat your milk in a saucepan till it’s almost boiling, then take it off the heat.
2. Whisk egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla essence in a separate bowl until it changes color.
3. Stir in cornflour, then pour in your warm milk slowly, whisking as you go. Cook this back in the saucepan over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring until it's thick.
4. Mix in the butter then let it cool a bit before you cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Assemble the Cannoli:

1. Roll out the dough to 2mm thick, cut into 9cm squares, and wrap them around your cannelloni tubes, using egg white to stick the corners together.
2. Fry ‘em in hot oil (180°C) till golden (do this in batches), then pull them off the tubes and let them cool.
3. Fill them with your smooth custard using a piping bag, then dust them with icing sugar before you serve.

Boom! There you have it, Cannoli with Vanilla Custard, made from scratch. Serve these up and watch everyone’s eyes light up. Just don't forget to serve them immediately – these babies are best enjoyed fresh.

Go ahead, give it a try, and let the compliments roll in!