Holy Moly Cannoli Dip

This past weekend my mom and I threw a surprise bridal shower for my future sister-in-law. However, since she is a dedicated That’s SO Jenn subscriber (thanks Caity!), I haven’t been able to talk to any of you about all the things I’ve been preparing for her…until now! I’m so excited to finally share the reason I’ve been mixing, tasting (because that’s what good bakers do) and covered in flour for a whole week!

Are you ready for some sugar shock? Besides making my decadent brownies, dessert haystacks, brookies, white chocolate gem stones and monster cookies, I had fun trying out some new recipes for the big event. Stay tuned for red velvet cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting, high heel shoe cupcakes, and bridal sugar cookies with royal icing. Then next week, I’ll balance it out with a few savory salads and apps you’ll definitely want to prepare for your next gathering!

I’m grateful to have been a bridesmaid/maid/maitron of honor in 9 weddings and attended more than I can count, but there are few things as meaningful as having my not-so-baby brother tie the knot. Lucky for me, his wife-to-be is pretty fantastic! We’ve had a close bond for many years, and have a lot of similar interests and characteristics. We’re both under five feet, talk a mile a minute, love all things girlie…and most importantly, embrace a strong passion for cannolis.

Of course, the general focus of her shower was to include all of her favorite foods so it was pretty much a no-brainer that I would somehow incorporate this one. In an effort to That’s SO Jenn-ify things, I wanted to come up with a fun way to serve this for a large crowd. Awhile back, I remember enjoying a deconstructed cannoli at an Italian restaurant and thought this would be a really great addition to our dessert table.

I served the sweet, luscious treat with Stella D’oro Italian cookies (the hint of lemon perfectly complements the flavors) and broken waffle bowl pieces to mirror the shell. The taste and texture are a bit lighter than the traditional filling, making it that much easier to eat a whole lot more….as evidenced by the almost-empty bowl at the end of the afternoon.

I mean is there really a better way to welcome someone into your family than with a cannoli dip?

Ingredients:

*Makes about 4 cups*

(Note: You can make this the day before, but don’t garnish until just before serving.)

8oz. mascarpone cheese

2 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners sugar (plus more for garnish)

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (plus more for garnish)

Lemon zest for garnish

Waffle cone bowls, broken into pieces

Stella D’oro egg jumbo cookies