Here is the filling we use in our gluten-free Cannoli Shells.
1 lb firm tofu (about 2 cups)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup thick cashew cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate or tiny chocolate chips
or
1/4 cup diced REAL “candied” fruit (2 Tablespoons each of finely diced dried pineapple and dried mango, mixed together with 1 Tablespoon agave nectar)
or half chocolate/half fruit:
2 Tablespoons shaved dark chocolate or tiny chocolate chips plus 1 Tablespoon each of dried pineapple and dried mango, mixed together with 1 1/2 teaspoons agave.
1 Tablespoon cognac (or vanilla extract)
Organic/natural Maraschino cherries for garnish
Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Drain the tofu and wrap in cheese cloth or a clean towel. If you don’t have a tofu press, place on a dinner plate and put a stack of (around) 3 dinner plates on top of the wrapped block of tofu for at least one hour. This will gently squeeze out all of the excess water.
Shave the chocolate and/or mix together the REAL candied fruit.
Unwrap the tofu. In a potato ricer, rice the tofu. If a potato ricer is unavailable, put the tofu in a food processor and pulse to break it apart into a thick cream.
Pour the tofu with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl thoroughly.
Taste for sweetness, if you like it sweeter add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Once it is to your liking, chill for a few hours before using.
To fill a cannoli shell:
Fill a pastry bag with the sweetened tofu ricotta. Pipe into each shell, one end at a time. Garnish each end with a half of a cherry and set on a plate. Repeat the process with each shell and dust with powdered sugar.