Lemon Curd & Blackberry Cheesecake Cannoli

Lemon Curd & Blackberry Cheesecake Cannoli

I am confident that these dessert canapés will disappear from your plate in no time. These mouthwatering treats have received rave reviews, especially from those with a sweet tooth.

These mini dessert pastries are a modern twist on traditional Italian cannoli. Made with gyoza wrapper tubes, fried in coconut oil, and filled with a luscious lemon curd and blackberry cheesecake filling, they are both simple to assemble and incredibly delicious.

Creating these mouthwatering dessert pastries has been on my mind for a while, so I finally decided to put my idea to the test. Initially, I planned to use pre-made cannoli shells, but finding those proved more challenging than expected, as they’re not readily available where I live. Some improvisation was in order, and it turned out to be a fortunate twist.

The result was beautifully crispy and absolutely scrumptious mini cannoli. My first attempt however, involved spring roll wrappers, but they were too thin; by the time they crisped up, the filling had melted away into the pan. Lesson learned!

Luckily, I had some gyoza wrappers stashed in the freezer, which turned out to be my saving grace.

While I don’t have a huge sweet tooth and rarely make desserts, I do enjoy offering a couple of sweet options when hosting large gatherings. It’s a great way to end the party on a high note, and these mini cannoli pair perfectly with dessert wines or liqueurs. I believe they will be an absolute hit at your party!

If I were to pick a dessert, it would be cheesecake, but I prefer it a little less sweet. So, experimenting with a cheesecake filling & adding a citrus twist with lemon curd was a no brainer for me. Berries of any kind are fantastic and add a lovely hue, so blackberries & lemon curd it was. If blueberries had been available, I probably would have chosen them, but the blackberries worked a treat. I was very pleased with the outcome, and so were my taste testers.

This is my version of cannoli—let me know your thoughts!

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Lemon Curd & Blackberry Cheesecake Cannoli

(Serves 12 Prep 30 Mins)

You Will Need:

12 Stainless steel Cannoli Tube moulds

• Spray Olive Oil: I have used a little bit of spray oil to spray your stainless steel cannoli tubes and prevent the pastry sticking to the tubes. It also helps to spray on your overlapping edges and pushing them onto each other.
• Gyoza Wrappers: These are available at your local supermarket here in Australia in the refrigerator section where fresh pasta is. You can also purchase them at the Asian grocery store. I buy packs and split them into 2 or 3 lots and put them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. There are usually around 30 in a pack. You could use wonton wrappers too but I liked the round wrappers- mainly for aesthetics but also the gyoza wrappers are a little thicker. No good if You are gluten free however.
• Thickened Cream: Like in a regular cheesecake, you need thickened cream- whipped. I tend to whip the cream 1st before adding the cream cheese for a thicker consistency or maybe that’s in my head!
• Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is a key ingredient in cheesecakes, frostings, and dips. It has a smooth, spreadable texture and is commonly used in both savoury dishes and desserts.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, it is finely ground sugar mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent caking. Powdered sugar is used primarily for making icing, frosting, and dusting baked goods for a decorative touch. I have used it for a little touch of sweet and a little extra for dusting the finished product.
• Lemon Zest: Lemon zest contains essential oils that provide a concentrated lemon flavour. Lemon zest is often used to add a fresh, citrusy aroma and taste to both sweet and savoury dishes. Even though we are adding lemon curd, I like to add lemon zest as well for that little bit extra flavour!
• Lemon Curd: A creamy, tangy spread made from lemons, sugar, eggs, and butter. It has a smooth texture and a bright, tart flavour. Lemon curd is commonly used as a filling for tarts, cakes, and pastries, or as a spread on scones and toast. It is the star of the dish.
• Blackberries: Small, dark purple-black berries that are juicy and slightly tart. They are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. Blackberries can be eaten fresh, used in desserts, jams, and sauces, or as a garnish for various dishes. They work a treat in this dish but you could substitute for Blueberries or Raspberries. You could also cook them down with a little sugar if you wanted more of a syrup.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Cannoli Shells:
   • Lightly spray your Cannoli tube moulds with oil.
   • Take one gyoza wrapper and carefully wrap it around your stainless steel cannoli mould, creating a tube shape.
   • Overlap the edges slightly and press them together to secure the shape.
   • Repeat this process with the remaining gyoza wrappers until you have 12 tubes in total.
2. Heat the Oil:
   • Pour 1 cup of coconut oil into a medium-sized pot or pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Fry the Cannoli Tubes:
   • Add two of the prepared gyoza-wrapped tubes to the hot oil at a time. Fry them until they turn a golden colour on all sides. Turn them carefully as they cook to ensure even browning.
   • While frying, gently squeeze the tubes together to prevent the overlapping edges from separating.
   • Once the tubes are golden all over, use tongs to remove them from the oil. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
   • Allow the cannoli tubes to cool completely. Once cool, gently remove the stainless steel moulds from the centers.
4. Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:
   • In a medium mixing bowl, beat the thickened cream using a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
   • Add the cream cheese to the bowl and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
   • Gradually add the powdered sugar, lemon curd, and lemon zest to the mixture, beating until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
   • Finally, gently fold in the blackberries, beating just enough to incorporate them without breaking them up too much.
5. Fill the Cannoli Shells:
   • Transfer the cheesecake mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
   • Pipe the cheesecake filling into both ends of each cannoli shell, filling them completely.
6. Garnish and Serve:
   • Garnish one end of each filled cannoli with a quarter piece of blackberry for a little colour.
   • Serve and enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• Make sure your gyoza wrappers are thawed before using to ensure you can easily roll them without the pastry breaking.

• I cooked the bottom side 1st then flipped them to cook the overlapping side squeezing the sides together with a little downward pressure in the pan to make sure the overlapping edges meld together. Then continue to crisp the remaining sides.

• Let the pastry tubes cool completely before removing the stainless tubes & filling them.

• Use a piping bag & piping tip to fill your pastry shells. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can cut the corner off the bottom of a plastic bag/ ziplock bag but you really need a piping tip for ease of filling your shells.

• Use a small tea strainer to dust your Cannoli with Icing sugar so you get a fine dust.

Lemon Curd & Blackberry Cheesecake Cannoli

Recipe

(Serves 12 Prep 30 Mins)

Ingredients

• Spray Olive oil 
• 12 Gyoza wrappers
• 1 Cup Coconut Oil
• 100ml Thickened Cream
• 150g Cream Cheese
• 1 heaped tsp powdered sugar
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 Tbsp Lemon curd 
• 1/4 Punnet of Blackberries
• Icing Sugar for dusting

Method

1. Lightly spray cannoli tube moulds with oil
2. Take 1 gyoza wrapper & wrap it around your stainless steel Cannoli Mould, creating a tube, so the edges overlap & press to keep edges together
3. Repeat with all the cannoli wrappers until you have 12 tubes
4. Heat 1 cup of coconut oil over Medium high heat
5. Add 2 cannoli tubes at a time and cook until golden on all sides, turn as you go and squeeze the tube together to prevent the overlapping edges from separating
6. When golden all over, remove from the oil & drain on a plate lined with paper towels
7. When cool, gently remove the stainless tubes
8. In a medium bowl beat the cream until stiff peaks form
9. Add the cream cheese & continue to beat
10. Add the powdered sugar, lemon curd & Lemon zest
11. Lastly, add the Blackberries & gently beat until incorporated
12. Using a piping bag & tip, pipe cheesecake mix into both ends of the cannoli shells
13. Garnish one end with 1/4 piece of blackberry
14. Enjoy!

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

Prosecco: Prosecco’s light, bubbly nature and its notes of green apple, pear, and citrus will complement the creaminess of the cream cheese and thickened cream while balancing the tartness of the lemon zest and curd.

Champagne: A good brut Champagne, with its crisp acidity and subtle brioche notes, can enhance the rich, creamy components and provide a refreshing contrast to the tangy and sweet elements from the blackberries and lemon.

Sauvignon Blanc: A Sauvignon Blanc, particularly one from New Zealand, often has bright acidity and flavours of citrus and tropical fruits. This will pair well with the lemon zest and curd, while its freshness can cut through the richness of the cream cheese.

Riesling: Opt for an off-dry Riesling. Its acidity and slight sweetness will harmonise with the powdered sugar and blackberries, while also providing a nice contrast to the creamy elements.

Moscato d’Asti: This slightly sparkling Italian dessert wine is low in alcohol, with a sweet, fruity flavour profile. It pairs beautifully with desserts, particularly those involving fruit and cream, making it an obvious choice for this dish.