An exquisite traditional Italian dessert is this Caramel Apple Cannoli (Caramel di Apple Cannoli). Serve it with some freshly brewed Italian espresso. Magnifico!

Caramel Apple Cannoli Recipe-

Ingredients:

• 12 Traditional Cannoli Pasta Shells

Filling-

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup Philadelphia Kraft cream cheese
• 1/2 cup granulated white cane sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Caramel Sauce-

• 1 cup granulated white cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts for garnish
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:

To make the filling-

1. Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make the caramel sauce:

1. In a saucepan (at least 5 cup capacity), stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water until the sugar is completely moistened.  Place a candy thermometer in the saucepan so that the tip is immersed in the sugar mixture.
2. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil.  Stop stirring and allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until it turns a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. The temperature should be about 300 degrees F.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly and carefully pour the warm cream into the caramel.  Be careful because the mixture will bubble and foam. With a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, stir the mixture until smooth.
4. Stir in the butter and salt.  Allow the mixture to cool for 3 minutes and then stir in the vanilla.  If the caramel sauce begins to harden too much before serving, simply place it over low heat and stir until it is of drizzling consistency.

To serve the Caramel Apple Cannoli-

1. Fill the cannoli shells just before serving to prevent the shells from becoming soggy.  Put the filling in a pastry bag and fill the shells by piping the filling in one end and then the other.  Sprinkle the exposed filling at each end of the cannoli with some of the chopped peanuts.  Place each filled cannoli on a serving dish.
2. Sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar.  Drizzle some of the caramel sauce over the top.
3. Serve Caramel Apple Cannoli with strong coffee, or a good quality Italian Espresso.

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