Cannoli Tart

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With a touch of cinnamon and a smattering of mini chocolate chips, this Cannoli Tart has all the great flavors of a classic cannoli wrapped into one simple tart. It’s a quick, easy dessert that’s light and delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Like a cannoli, but easier. This dessert delivers all of the flavor of a classic cannoli with none of the deep frying or painstaking stuffing of individual pastry shells.
• Light, delicious flavor. Some cannolis can be overly sweet and kind of heavy. This tart is light and not to sweet. Perfect for any occasion.
• No-bake (almost). Aside from baking the crust for a few minutes to make sure it holds together, this dessert is totally no-bake. Perfect for warm summer days when you want to keep your kitchen as cool as possible.
• Outstanding texture. The mascarpone filling for this cannoli dessert is so smooth and creamy. Next to the subtle crunch of the graham cracker crust and the smattering of mini chocolate chips on top, it’s a dream to bite into.

What Does Cannoli Taste Like?

A cannoli is a classic Sicilian dessert made from a crunchy shell (almost like a taco!) of deep-fried pastry dough that’s stuffed with a smooth, creamy mascarpone (and sometimes ricotta) filling. The shell is rich and buttery while the filling is relatively light and tastes faintly of cinnamon and vanilla. Then there’s a kick of chocolate from the mini chocolate chips that often garnish this Italian favorite. Pretty dreamy, right?

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what you’ll need to bring this cannoli tart recipe to life. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

Crust

• Graham cracker crumbs – I like to crush my own. I think the flavor is better. But feel free to buy the crumb pre-made. Vanilla wafers would also work.
• Sugar – I used granulated sugar, but you could use light brown sugar for a richer flavor.
• Unsalted butter – To hold the crust ingredients together. You could also use salted butter, if that’s what you have on hand.

Filling

• Mascarpone cheese – You can usually find this kind of cheese in the deli section of the grocery store. I love how creamy it is. If you’re a fan of ricotta in a cannoli, feel free to swap out some of the mascarpone. Just be sure to strain the ricotta.
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar adds sweetness to the filling as well as structure.
• Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream needs to be cold. Otherwise, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly, and your filling will fall flat.
• Mini chocolate chips – To top the tart. A chopped (or shaved) semi-sweet or milk chocolate bar would also work.

How to Make a Cannoli Tart

Here’s a quick look at how to make this cannoli tart. Have a look at the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

To make the crust

• Prep. Spray a 9-inch tart pan and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Mix. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and then mix in the melted butter.
• Bake. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan and bake for 7 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the crust to cool completely.

Filling and assembly

• Make the filling base. Gently mix together the mascarpone, vanilla, cinnamon, and ½ cup of powdered sugar.
• Add volume. Beat together the heavy cream and the remaining powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the filling base.

• Assemble. Spread the filling into the crust and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
• Chill. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until firm.
• Serve. Serve cold, dusted with powdered sugar if desired.

Tips for Success

• Cool completely. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the filling. If it is too warm, the filling will melt.
• Mix on low speed (and not too much). When making the filling, mix on low speed (or even by hand) and just until everything is incorporated. Mixing at too high a speed or for too long will cause the filling to break down and become watery.
• Maintain volume. When folding the whipped cream into the filling, do so gently so as not to knock the volume out of it. It’s also a good idea to mix the whipped cream into the filling in 2 parts. Again, to maintain volume.
• Don’t skimp on chill time. You’ll need to chill this dessert for at least 2 hours (probably 3) before serving. The filling needs that time in the fridge to set.

How to Store

Cover the tart with plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, place in the freezer until firm, then wrap it well. It would be hard to wrap up when un-frozen. You can keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw in the fridge prior to serving.

More Cannoli-Inspired Recipes

• Cannoli Cheesecake
• Cannoli Layer Cake
• Cannoli Poke Cake
• Cannoli Icebox Cake
• Cannoli Cheeseball
• Pumpkin Cannoli Recipe

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