homemade cannoli cream

Although I love love love cooking, I'm not so patient to be a baker, nor as gifted in the "pastry" area of the culinary experience. I find that most baking and delectable dessert creations require a higher degree of precision when it comes to measurements, temperatures, and the overall order of adding ingredients.

However, I did manage to find a most fabulous recipe which makes my dessert skills akin to that of a Michelin 3 Star. Eh, well maybe. I can brag about something can't I????

Anyway, I've been recently addicted to making homemade fresh cannoli filling and dolloping it on beautifully sliced fresh fruit. Sprinkle a few sliced almonds on top, and watch your guests smile.

It's simple.....just whole milk ricotta cheese, fresh whipping cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and I add vanilla extract for an extra touch. It's light and creamy, with the ricotta giving it that amazing texture.

Husband and I recently had a dinner party of 16 (yes that is extreme with the guest list, I know) and I felt bad serving store bought cookies for sweets. Amazingly I had come across this ridiculously easy cannoli filling recipe a few weeks earlier and had tested it out with the help of my husband's insatiable palate and the bounty of strawberry season. It was beyond the most perfect thing to serve to satisfy our sixteen guest's sweet tooths.....and it looks so pretty all served up and plated, which takes about 30 seconds. Now THAT deserves a gold star in the dinner party hostess hall of fame.