Cannoli are a well-known Italian pastry that is considered to be a modern staple of Sicilian cuisine.
These tubes of fried dough were originally eaten during carnival but are now a popular sweet treat all year round and are eaten worldwide.
Considering their widespread popularity, it is no surprise that many people wish to enjoy these pastries on a regular basis.
But can you buy cannoli in UK supermarkets, or will you need to source them elsewhere?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. You will not find cannoli in your local supermarket.
This being said, there are still ways for you to enjoy this Italian treat when living in the UK. Read on for all you need to know!
Can You Get Cannoli in the UK?
Cannoli are available in the UK, but unfortunately, you will not find them in major supermarkets.
Your best bet would be to find a traditional Italian bakery or a market that sells a variety of international street food.
For example, Casa Cannoli is a family-run business that runs several market stalls in central London.
There are also a variety of online retailers that will deliver cannoli directly to your door, such as Affetto Italiano, a well-known online Italian delicatessen that ships to the whole of the mainland UK. The only issue with sourcing cannoli in this way is that they will not be as freshly made and could become damaged in the post.
If you want to buy empty cannoli shells to stuff at home, you may be out of luck when buying from the UK. You may have some success inquiring at a bakery or market stall that sells fresh cannoli, but in most cases, you will have to buy them pre-filled or make your own from scratch.
Can You Make Cannoli at Home?
If you want to have a go at making traditional cannoli yourself, there are a wide variety of recipes on the internet that you can use.
Cannoli pastry dough is typically made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and marsala (a sweet wine), while the filling is usually made from ricotta. This filling is then flavoured using various ingredients, such as chocolate, pistachios, or espresso.
No matter which cannoli recipe you use, you will need cannoli moulds to help you form the distinct tube shape associated with these pastries.
A multipack of these moulds can typically be purchased for under £10 and can then be reused as many times as you like.
When making cannoli, it is also helpful to own a deep-fat fryer. However, it is possible to fry your cannoli in a deep non-stick saucepan of oil until golden brown instead. BBC Good Food has a great recipe to help get you started.
Is Cannoli Pasta?
As we’ve already covered, cannoli is an Italian treat made of fried pastry tubes stuffed with a sweet, creamy filling.
The word ‘cannoli’ comes from the Sicilian word ‘canna’, meaning cane or tube. Unfortunately, this means cannoli is often confused with another Italian food named after the same word: cannelloni.
Cannelloni is a type of tubed pasta that is typically stuffed with a creamy filling and baked in a flavourful tomato sauce.
If you are looking to buy cannelloni in your local supermarket, you may be more in luck. These pasta tubes are available from some major supermarkets (e.g., Sainsbury’s) and can also be found as a tasty ready meal in most food stores.
Hannah is a freelance content writer and self-proclaimed foodie. When Hannah isn’t sitting tapping at her laptop, you’ll probably find her in the kitchen. As an ex-chalet host, she’s used to cooking four-course meals for 10+ people and loves feeding friends and family whenever possible.
