Giada Cannoli Pie

Giada cannoli pie from Giada De Laurentiis packs all the flavor of a Sicilian cannoli into a sliceable pie with a biscotti crust and a ricotta mascarpone filling. And the pie serves 10 at approximately 580 calories per slice in about 3 hours total, since most of that is hands-off chilling time.

Instead of frying cannoli shells from scratch, Giada grinds store-bought almond biscotti into a press-in crust and lines it with melted semisweet chocolate. So the chocolate sets into a barrier that keeps the crust crisp under the wet filling, which is a technique traditional cannoli makers use inside each shell.

Whipping the heavy cream to medium peaks before folding it into the ricotta mixture is the step that gives the filling its light, mousse-like texture. And if you overwhip to stiff peaks, the cream breaks when folded and the filling turns dense instead of airy.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis (Giadzy.com)

Giada Cannoli Pie

Recipe by medshi8Course: Desserts

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ground biscotti press into a pie dish with butter and sugar, bake for 10 minutes, then get brushed with melted chocolate that sets in the fridge. Then ricotta, mascarpone, orange zest, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips fold into whipped cream for the filling, and more whipped cream with pistachios tops the chilled pie.

Ingredients

• For the crust:
  

• 16 store-bought almond biscotti (roughly 11 to 12 ounces)
  

• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted
  

• 1/4 cup sugar

• For the chocolate layer:
  

• 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
  

• For the filling:
  

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  

• 1 cup whole milk ricotta, excess liquid drained
  

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  

• 1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 large navel orange)
  

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

• For the topping:
  

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  

• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped fine
  

• Chocolate bar, for shaving (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Heat to 350°F and prepare a 9-inch pie dish.
  
• Make the crust: Then grind the biscotti into fine crumbs in a food processor, add the sugar and melted butter, and pulse until combined.
  
• Press the crust: Once mixed, press the crumb mixture evenly up the sides of the dish and pack the bottom tightly with a measuring cup.
  
• Bake the crust: Then bake for 10 minutes until fragrant and dry, and let it cool slightly.
  
• Melt the chocolate: While the crust cools, melt the semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring between each.
  
• Line with chocolate: Once melted, brush the chocolate over the inside of the cooled crust and refrigerate until set.
  
• Whip the filling cream: Then whip 3/4 cup heavy cream on high speed until medium peaks form, and transfer to a separate bowl.
  
• Mix the ricotta base: In the same mixer bowl, combine the ricotta, mascarpone, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, powdered sugar, and orange zest on high until fluffy.
  
• Fold in the cream: Once the base is smooth, gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula until no streaks remain.
  
• Add the chocolate chips: Then fold in the mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
  
• Fill the crust: Once the brushed chocolate is fully set, pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top.
  
• Chill the pie: Then cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
  
• Make the topping: Before serving, whip 1 cup heavy cream with the powdered sugar and salt until stiff peaks form.
  
• Top and decorate: Then pile the whipped cream in the center of the pie, leaving a border of filling visible, and scatter the pistachios and optional chocolate shavings on top.

FAQs

Can I use graham crackers or amaretti cookies instead of biscotti?

Giada mentions on the source page that graham crackers or amaretti cookies swap in for the biscotti crust. And graham crackers give a milder, sweeter base, while amaretti bring a stronger almond flavor that leans closer to traditional cannoli.

But the butter and sugar ratios stay the same regardless of which cookie you grind, since all three produce similar crumb textures. And press the crust firmly with a flat measuring cup no matter what you use, because a loose crumb crust crumbles when you slice instead of holding clean wedges.

Why does the recipe brush melted chocolate on the crust?

The chocolate layer hardens in the fridge and creates a waterproof barrier between the wet ricotta filling and the dry crumb crust. And without it, the filling’s moisture softens the biscotti base within hours, so the bottom turns soggy before you even serve.

Traditional cannoli makers line the inside of each fried shell with chocolate for the same reason. So make sure the chocolate is fully set and solid before pouring in the filling, because a half-set layer mixes into the ricotta instead of protecting the crust underneath.

How far ahead can I make this pie?

The filled pie stores covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the flavors actually improve as the orange zest and cinnamon soak into the ricotta overnight. But add the whipped cream topping, pistachios, and chocolate shavings right before serving, since the cream deflates and the nuts lose their crunch in the fridge.

This same hold-the-topping-until-serving rule applies to the giada holiday biscotti, where the sugar crystals go on while the chocolate is wet. And for both recipes, the base work happens ahead and the finishing touches take under 5 minutes day-of.

What kind of ricotta works best?

Whole milk ricotta gives the filling the richest, creamiest texture, and Giada specifies draining any excess liquid before measuring. And low-fat or part-skim ricotta makes the filling thinner and grainier, since less fat means less body in the final set.

So spoon the ricotta into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl for about 10 minutes before using, because even whole milk ricotta holds water that dilutes the filling. And room temperature mascarpone blends more smoothly than cold, so pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes ahead.

What can I serve this pie with?

A shot of espresso or a small glass of the giada limoncello alongside each slice keeps the dessert course Italian from start to finish. And the sharp lemon of limoncello cuts through the sweet ricotta and chocolate, which balances the richness.

But avoid heavy toppings like caramel or ice cream on top of the whipped cream, because the pie already has three layers of richness in the crust, chocolate lining, and filling. And thin slices go a long way, since the mascarpone and cream make each bite denser than it looks.