Dan Pepperell’s hot cross cannoli

1.Rub together flour, cocoa powder and butter in a bowl with your fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add icing sugar, Marsala, vinegar and a pinch of salt, and mix to form a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2.For ricotta filling, whisk ricotta and caster sugar in an electric mixer until smooth, then fold in mascarpone, dried fruit, rinds and spices. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm-diameter plain nozzle and refrigerate until required.

3.Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 160C. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1mm thick (this can also be done with a pasta machine), cut out 11cm rounds with a cutter, brush joining points with egg, wrap around a cannoli tube (see note) and press to seal (it’s important that no egg touches the cannoli mould or it will stick). Remove from moulds and deep-fry cannoli tubes until golden and bubbled (30 seconds). Drain on paper towels and cool completely before piping in ricotta mixture. Dust with extra icing sugar and serve.