Ode to Cannoli

One of the highlights of Boston was meeting up with Dawn for dinner. She insisted that we also go to Mike’s for cannoli, and who am I to say no to dessert? Since we were staying right around the corner from Mike’s Pastries I walked by it multiple times a day. And every time, there was a line out the door and down the street. So I figured they must be good. And evidently they’re world famous. The security screener at our home airport, when she saw my mom’s ticket to Boston, said “You must go to Mike’s!”

It’s all her fault

The only time I had ever had cannoli was as a kid. And at the time, I thought…eh. But holy moly (holy cannoli?), the cannoli at Mike’s Pastries were amazing. They’re definitely not an everyday dessert (after my second trip to Mike’s I was cannoli‘d out), but damn…they’re so good they’re ode worthy.

Sorry Mr. Keats, but I need to borrow your poem (but just the first stanza, then I promise you can have it back)…

THOU hollow pastry filled with ricotta,
Thou treat filled with sweetness and delight
Yummy cannoli, you werst so delicious
You made everything in my world so very right:
What tempting goodness oozes from thy shape
Waiting at Mike’s, hearing local fellows,
So much fun that I did it twice.
What flavors did I choose? Limoncello!
Amaretto! Yes, I devoured them both.
They were so good! What sweet ecstasy!

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And since we’re on the subject of food, and some of you were intrigued by my mention of Mexican Chocolate Bread the other day (okay, it’s really cake, but in loaf form, and bread sounds so much healthier), here’s the recipe. Make it. I promise it’s good.

Mexican Chocolate Loaf Cake

1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee*
3/4 cup water*
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
zest of one orange

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or grease a 9×5×3.5-inch loaf pan and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out the excess. Line 4 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth, then add in instant coffee and water, whisking until dissolved. Stir in sugar, followed by the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and orange zest, mixing well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt (or not…I’m anti-sifter because I’m a lazy baker). Gradually add to cocoa mixture, stirring until just combined.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill the four cupcake liners about 3/4 full with batter. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes (or longer, if you’re my oven), until a tester comes out clean or with only a few crumbs. Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then turn out cupcakes and loaf cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note: You can omit the instant coffee and use 1/2 cup water with 1/4 cup coffee instead.

I found this recipe at a blog called Baking Bites, which is full of incredible looking desserts (and other things, but I’m in love with the desserts).