This is a great variation to the wonderful cannoli ‘tube’ desserts you see in bakeries and cafes.
With a baked biscuit base to provide a nice soft crunch, the cannoli filling is a beautiful mixture of mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, vanilla and cinnamon. The cannoli filling is sweet (though not overly so), rich and with a wonderful cinnamon flavour throughout. Topped with chocolate bits and sprinkled with icing sugar and you have a sensational variation to the traditional cannoli dessert.
This cannoli variation uses only mascarpone cheese, whereas many others use a combination of mascarpone and ricotta cheese. You can mix as you would prefer, however I think this version with mascarpone only works fantastically well and you won’t be disappointed.
Print Recipe
Cannoli Tart
Instructions
Tart Crust
Preheat oven to 160°C (fan forced)
Using a food processor grind Marie biscuits until crumbs are created.
Add melted butter and sugar and mix through the biscuit crumbs until well combined.
Grease and line the bottom of a round tart pan with baking paper. Use an approx 22cm round loose base tart pan.
Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before adding cannoli filling.
Cannoli Filling
In a medium bowl add the thickened cream and using an electric mixer beat for about 3 minutes until cream starts to thicken.
Add 1/4 cup of icing sugar and continue beating for about 5 minutes until fully combined and stiff peaks start to form. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add mascarpone cheese, 3/4 cup icing sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon and using an electric mixer beat on slow speed until combined. Do not overmix.
Using a spatula, add cream mixture to the mascarpone mixture and fold through until just combined.
Spread mixture into the tart pan, smooth the top and place in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, until firm.
Top with mini chocolate bits and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving. Store in refrigerator.
John 
