When we last left those Brandy Snaps, they crunched and crumbled all over my computer keyboard and the cat on my lap. Nothing worse than sticky cat fur. What to do?
I went searching for the perfect filling, and as if by magic, found inspiration courtesy of italian-dessert-recipes.com. I'll give my version:
Creamy Cannoli Filling
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (drained in fine mesh strainer a few hours or overnight, if possible)
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted through a strainer
zest of 1 lemon, grated finely
1 T. 151 Rum (or Brandy, or Gran Marnier)
pinch of salt
Whisk this together until smooth and plop it into a pastry bag. I used a 12" bag and a #32 tip, which has pointy edges around the opening so the filling oozes to the sides in little ripples. Squeeze into each end of the Brandy Snaps, placing the tip in the center of the cookie tube and backing out the tip to the end as the center fills. At the end of each squeeze, hold the tip in place so the filling oozes sideways into a flower-like shape.
The filling adds a soft texture to the Brandy Snaps, and holds the pieces together when you bite in. Form and function, but also flavor. The best part is the flavor - the lemon and rum blend perfectly and the creamy mouth-feel spreads the floral notes all over the palate. I can't wait to use this filling on other cookies and desserts.
Ingredients Note: Use a liquor good enough to drink straight. It matters most in mixtures that you don't bake or cook before eating.
Storage Note: You can store the filling for later in the frig. Hold the top of the pastry bag shut with a rubber band and place the bag tip side down in a tall glass.
Equipment Note: I used a two-piece plastic gizmo to hold the tips in place. Because the tip goes on the outside of the bag, you don't have to cross your fingers that the tip will not shift out of place while you load the bag (with the tip inside). The gizmo also lets you change tips without emptying the bag. You can go from a larger tip to a smaller one, if you are artistic enough to plan a design that requires different kinds or thicknesses of extruded goo. Not me, so far. But maybe one day.
I went searching for the perfect filling, and as if by magic, found inspiration courtesy of italian-dessert-recipes.com. I'll give my version:
Creamy Cannoli Filling3/4 cup ricotta cheese (drained in fine mesh strainer a few hours or overnight, if possible)
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted through a strainer
zest of 1 lemon, grated finely
1 T. 151 Rum (or Brandy, or Gran Marnier)
pinch of salt
Whisk this together until smooth and plop it into a pastry bag. I used a 12" bag and a #32 tip, which has pointy edges around the opening so the filling oozes to the sides in little ripples. Squeeze into each end of the Brandy Snaps, placing the tip in the center of the cookie tube and backing out the tip to the end as the center fills. At the end of each squeeze, hold the tip in place so the filling oozes sideways into a flower-like shape.
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| The longer plastic part, on left, goes inside the pastry bag. |
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| The metal tip goes outside the bag, and the plastic ring screws on over the tip to hold the tip it in place. |
Storage Note: You can store the filling for later in the frig. Hold the top of the pastry bag shut with a rubber band and place the bag tip side down in a tall glass.
Equipment Note: I used a two-piece plastic gizmo to hold the tips in place. Because the tip goes on the outside of the bag, you don't have to cross your fingers that the tip will not shift out of place while you load the bag (with the tip inside). The gizmo also lets you change tips without emptying the bag. You can go from a larger tip to a smaller one, if you are artistic enough to plan a design that requires different kinds or thicknesses of extruded goo. Not me, so far. But maybe one day.
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