Delicious and Nutritious: Fresh Milled Flour Ricotta Cannoli Cookies Recipe
As you may know, I’ve been deeply exploring the advantages of milling your own flour. I’ve been experimenting with online recipes and adapting those that use store-bought flour. These Fresh Milled Flour Ricotta Cannoli Cookies are a true culinary triumph. I’ve prepared them using both freshly milled and store-bought flour, and while both versions are delightful, the fresh milled flour version offers a more substantial and pronounced flavor profile. The best part? They’re bursting with nutritional value. Let’s explore why using freshly milled flour is a superior choice for baking.
Why Choose Fresh Milled Flour Over Store-Bought Flour?
- Nutritional Powerhouse: When you mill your own high-quality, clean grain, you’re preserving the remarkable nutritional benefits of the entire wheat berry, encompassing the bran, germ, and endosperm.
- Store-Bought Flour Deficiencies: Commercial flour undergoes a process where the bran and germ are removed to extend shelf life, leaving behind mostly starch and protein with minimal nutritional value.
- Enhanced Texture and Nutrition: By using fresh milled flour, you gain improved texture in your baked goods, enriched with fiber, vitamins, healthy fats, and essential minerals.
- Unbeatable Flavor: The flavor of fresh milled flour is simply extraordinary. It imparts a nutty, sweet, and complex taste to your baked creations.
- Grain Variety Matters: The specific flavor profile and texture will vary depending on the type of grain you choose to mill.
Although I’m still relatively new to milling my own flour, I’m already convinced of its significant advantages. If you desire a more thorough understanding, here are some excellent resources to explore:
- Fresh Milled Mama
- Grains in Small Places
- Souly Rested
- I strongly suggest obtaining a copy of Sue Becker’s book, Essential Home-Ground Flour. It’s brimming with vital information, helpful advice, and delectable recipes. I consult it almost daily. Additionally, Sue has an incredible YouTube channel that you might find beneficial.
- Lastly, this testimonial from a nurse regarding the health benefits of homemade bread made with fresh milled flour completely astounded me!
Key Ingredients for Fresh Milled Flour Ricotta Cannoli Cookies
- Unsalted Butter: Ensure it’s at room temperature. Using unsalted butter allows the natural butter flavor to shine through.
- Granulated Sugar: Whenever possible, opt for organic granulated sugar. It undergoes less processing compared to conventional refined sugar, retaining some molasses, which contains beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Organic sugar is also produced without synthetic pesticides or herbicides. As an alternative, coconut sugar, known for its lower glycemic index, could be used.
- Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta is an excellent choice, offering a subtly sweet taste and a luxuriously creamy texture. If needed, drain off any excess moisture.
- Egg: A large egg (chilled or at room temperature) is suitable for this recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: It’s best to use pure vanilla extract. Made exclusively from natural vanilla beans, water, and alcohol, pure vanilla extract delivers a richer, more complex flavor profile.
- Fresh Milled Flour: Soft white wheat berries are ideal here due to their mild, slightly sweet flavor, perfectly suited for delicate baked goods.
- Baking Soda: Contributes a subtle tanginess and enhances the chewiness of the cookies. It also aids in browning.
- Salt: Finely ground table salt is perfectly acceptable.
- Ground Cinnamon: Introduces a warm, spicy-sweet flavor.
- Orange Zest: The finer the zest, the better. I recommend using a microplane grater for optimal results.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Choose semi-sweet or bittersweet. I prefer Ghirardelli brand chips, as they are widely available and don’t contain bio-engineered ingredients.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar. Most products contain cornstarch as an anti-caking agent. To avoid this, consider selecting an organic product that typically uses a healthier starch.
- Melted Chocolate: Opt for semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate for drizzling. Look for a non-GMO brand that doesn’t contain bio-engineered ingredients. Ghirardelli’s baking bars are a great choice. Avoid using chocolate chips for melting, as they contain stabilizers that can alter the consistency.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add Ricotta, Egg, and Vanilla: Incorporate the ricotta cheese, egg, and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture.
- Mix Until Smooth: Blend all ingredients until a smooth consistency is achieved.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the fresh milled flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Mix Until Just Combined: Mix until the ingredients are just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Zest and Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the orange zest and mini chocolate chips.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Hydrate the Flour: This resting period allows the fresh milled flour to fully hydrate and absorb the liquid, resulting in a better cookie texture.
- Prepare for Freezing: Line a small flat pan with parchment paper.
- Scoop and Arrange: Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized mounds and place them in a single layer on the prepared pan, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
- Freeze: Cover with plastic wrap and place the pan in the freezer for several hours or overnight. Freezing the dough before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape.
- Preheat and Prepare: When ready to bake, line large baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Place the wire rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C).
- Arrange Frozen Dough: Place the frozen dough balls on the lined baking sheet, leaving about an inch (2.5 cm) of space between each cookie.
- Bake: Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown.
- Cool: Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust and Drizzle: Lightly dust each cookie with powdered sugar. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Set and Store: Allow the chocolate to set for several hours before transferring the cookies to a storage container.
These Fresh Milled Flour Ricotta Cannoli Cookies are hearty and delicious!
If you’re not quite ready to venture into the world of milling your own flour at this time, you can still give these a try. Simply replace the fresh milled flour with one and three-quarters cup of your preferred unbleached all-purpose flour. Definitely worth a try.
Fresh Milled Flour Ricotta Cannoli Cookies
Inspired by a recipe from Tasteful Bites
Ingredients
-
1/2
cup
unsalted butter, at room temperature -
1
cup
granulated sugar
(250 grams) -
1
cup
whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
(256 grams) -
1
large egg -
1
teaspoon
pure vanilla extract -
279
grams
fresh milled flour – soft white wheat berries
(about 2 1/4 cups) -
1/2
teaspoon
baking soda -
1/2
teaspoon
salt -
1/2
teaspoon
ground cinnamon -
1
tablespoon
freshly grated orange zest -
3/4
cup
mini chocolate chips
(150 grams / 5.3 ounces) - powdered sugar, for dusting
-
melted chocolate, for drizzling
(about 2 to 3 ounces)
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the ricotta cheese, egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together the fresh milled flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined.
-
Fold in the orange zest and mini chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 to 60 minutes. This will allow the fresh milled flour to fully hydrate and absorb all of the liquid.
-
Line a small flat pan with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized mounds and place them in a single layer on the pan. Try to make sure they are not touching each other. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for several hours or overnight.
-
When ready to bake, line large baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Place the wire rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350℉.
-
Place the frozen dough balls on the lined baking sheet, leaving about an inch in between. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden.
-
Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with the melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set for several hours before transferring cookies to a storage container.
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