You will never believe that you can make these delicious puff pastry cannoli with custard at home without spending too much money. These Italian custard cannoli are light, crispy puff pastry rolls filled with luscious pastry cream – a treat you’d usually find in Italian pastry shops or bars at breakfast time. But thanks to one simple trick, you can recreate this traditional delight at home in no time. No need for fancy tools or molds – just ready-made puff pastry and a few kitchen basics. It’s a quick, easy, and foolproof recipe!
What’s the Difference Between These Cannoli and Sicilian Cannoli?
While both are called cannoli, the two desserts couldn’t be more different. Pastry cream cannoli (“Cannoli alla Crema” in Italy) are made with crispy puff pastry, rolled and baked, then filled with thick, velvety custard. They’re lighter, easier to make at home, and commonly enjoyed for breakfast in Italian bars and bakeries.
On the other hand, Sicilian cannoli are a beloved dessert with deep regional roots. Their shells are deep-fried, making them more rigid and crunchy. Instead of pastry cream, they’re traditionally filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, often blended with chocolate chips, candied fruit, or even pistachios. They’re especially popular during holidays and festive occasions in Sicily.
In short:
- this version of Pastry Cream Cannoli = puff pastry + pastry cream + baked
- Sicilian Cannoli = fried dough shell + ricotta filling + more elaborate
Both are delicious, but this version is quicker, lighter, and requires no frying or fancy equipment — making it ideal for everyday indulgence.
The Smart Trick Behind This Recipe: No Cannoli Molds Needed!
What if I told you that you can make perfect pastry cream cannoli at home without buying any special tools? That’s right — the secret is bamboo canes! In this recipe, we use small pieces of bamboo instead of traditional cannoli molds to wrap the puff pastry. It’s an easy, budget-friendly trick that works like magic. The bamboo is oven-safe, naturally non-stick, and gives your cannoli that beautiful hollow shape, ready to be filled with rich, creamy custard.
Where Can I Find Bamboo Cane?
If you’re curious about this fun DIY trick, bamboo cane is surprisingly easy to find!
- You can find it in many parks or urban forests; for example, near my house, on the riverside, there are many bamboo canes.
- You can purchase natural bamboo canes at most garden centers or hardware stores — just make sure they’re untreated and food-safe.
Once you have your cane, you’ll need to dry them out. First, cut it into short pieces (about 10–12 cm / 4–5 inches long) using a small saw or strong kitchen shears. Then, the traditional method is to leave them in the sun for a couple of days until they’re fully dry and hard. If you’re in a hurry or the weather isn’t cooperating, just pop the bamboo pieces in your oven at the lowest temperature (about 70–90 °C or 160–200 °F) for a few hours. Let them cool completely, and voilà — you’ve got homemade cannoli molds ready to go!
And of course, if you prefer a more classic approach or want to add some tools to your kitchen, you can also use cannoli tubes, just like the ones used in professional bakeries.
👉🏻 Grab your set of cannoli tubes on Amazon here: Cannoli Forms Tubes Kits
How to Make Italian Pastry Cream Rolls
Making Pastry Cream Rolls with custard at home is surprisingly easy and incredibly satisfying. With just a few basic ingredients and a clever trick to replace traditional cannoli molds, you can whip up a batch of these delicious puff pastry treats in no time. They’re flaky on the outside, creamy on the inside, and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack with coffee. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this recipe is foolproof and guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
For 10–20 Cannoli depending on size:
- 500 ml whole milk, at room temperature (2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- 5 egg yolks
- 180 g sugar + 20 g for sprinkling baked cannoli (2/3 cup + 1.5 tbsp)
- 40 g cornstarch (1/3 cup)
- 40 g flour (00 or all-purpose) (2.5 tbsp)
- A pinch of salt
- 500 g puff pastry (block or sheets) (17.6 oz)
- 1 egg, beaten for brushing
Step-by-step Instructions
Make the Pastry Cream (Italian Custard)
Start by combining the sugar and flour in a small bowl — just give them a quick mix so they’re evenly blended. In a separate, larger bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks with a whisk or fork. Now gradually add the sugar-flour mixture into the eggs, a bit at a time, stirring constantly with a spatula (1). You want a smooth, lump-free mix, so don’t rush this step.
Next, start adding the milk — make sure it’s at room temperature. Pour it in slowly, mixing well after each addition, so everything stays nice and smooth. Once it’s all combined, transfer the mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add in the lemon zest for extra flavor (2).
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir the mixture continuously. As it heats up, it will slowly start to thicken. Once you see it starting to bubble, remove the lemon zest and keep cooking for about a minute more — still stirring — to make sure it reaches the perfect consistency.
Take the pan off the heat and pour the cream into a cool bowl or container. Now stir in a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. Keep mixing gently as the cream cools down to about 50 °C (122 °F). If you don’t have a thermometer, just stir it for 5–6 minutes until it’s warm but no longer hot (3).
Finally, cover with cling film in contact with the cream, so that a crust does not form on the surface as it cools, and let it cool completely. Once chilled, it’s ready to use!
Prepare the Puff Pastry Rolls
Roll out your puff pastry to 3–4 mm thick, or use ready-rolled sheets (4). Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide strips (5).
Wrap each strip around a short piece of bamboo cane or a cannoli mold. Wrap 3–4 rounds to form each cannoli (6). Brush with beaten egg (7) and sprinkle with sugar (8).
Bake and Fill
Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 220 °C (425 °F) for about 12 minutes or until golden and puffed (9). Let the cannoli cool completely, then gently remove them from the molds or canes (10). Now you can pipe in the chilled pastry cream using a piping bag (11).
Dust the finished cannoli with granulated sugar or powdered sugar, if desired, and enjoy your homemade puff pastry cannoli with custard!
Variations on the Filling
While the classic version of these pastry cannoli is filled with traditional vanilla pastry cream, there’s plenty of room to get creative. You can switch things up with chocolate pastry cream, coffee custard, or even a lemon-flavored cream for a refreshing twist. Want to impress guests? Pipe in a hazelnut spread or pistachio cream and dip the ends in crushed nuts or chocolate chips. You could also flavor the cream with a splash of orange liqueur or cinnamon for a deeper aroma. Whether you stick to the original or play around, these cannoli are guaranteed to please.
How to Store Pastry Cream Cannoli
These cannoli are best enjoyed freshly filled, when the shells are still crisp and the cream is perfectly cold. If you’re prepping ahead, you can store the unfilled puff pastry shells in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep the pastry cream refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to serve, simply pipe in the cream and enjoy. Avoid filling them too early, as the moisture from the cream can make the shells soggy. Leftover filled cannoli should be eaten within a few hours for best texture.
Easy Cannoli with Pastry Cream Video Tutorial
Puff Pastry Cannoli with Custard: The Trick to Make Them at Home Without a Mold
Equipment
- Bamboo cane or Cannoli Tubes
Ingredients
For Custard
- 500 ml whole milk at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- 5 egg yolks
- 180 g sugar
- 40 g cornstarch
- 40 g flour 00 or all-purpose flour
- A pinch of salt
For Cannoli
- 500 g puff pastry block or sheets
- 1 egg beaten for brushing
- 20 g granulated sugar for dusting
Instructions
Make the Custard
- Combine the sugar and flour in a small bowl — just give them a quick mix so they’re evenly blended.
- In a separate, larger bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks with a whisk or fork.
- Gradually add the sugar-flour mixture into the eggs, a bit at a time, stirring constantly with a spatula. You want a smooth, lump-free mix, so don’t rush this step.
- Add milk, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition, so everything stays nice and smooth.
- Once it’s all combined, transfer the mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add in the lemon zest for extra flavor.
- Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir the mixture continuously. As it heats up, it will slowly start to thicken. Once you see it starting to bubble, remove the lemon zest and keep cooking for about a minute more — still stirring — to make sure it reaches the perfect consistency.
- Take the pan off the heat and pour the cream into a cool bowl or container.
- Stir in a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. Keep mixing gently as the cream cools down to about 50 °C (122 °F). If you don’t have a thermometer, just stir it for 5–6 minutes until it’s warm but no longer hot.
- Cover with cling film in contact with the cream, so that a crust does not form on the surface as it cools, and let it cool completely. Once chilled, it’s ready to use!
Make Cannoli
- Preheat your oven to 220 °C (ca. 428 °F), static mode.
- Roll out your puff pastry to 3–4 mm thick (or use ready-rolled sheets). Use a pastry wheel or knife to cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide strips.
- Wrap each strip around a short piece of bamboo cane or a cannoli mold. Wrap 3–4 rounds to form each cannoli.
- Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, in a single layer, and brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
- Let the cannoli cool completely, then gently remove them from the molds or canes.
- Now you can pipe in the chilled pastry cream using a piping bag.
- Dust the finished cannoli with powdered sugar, if desired, and enjoy your homemade puff pastry cannoli with custard!
ho provato a farli e mi sono venuti benissimo!
Grazie per avermelo fatto sapere!