Cannoli Cup, Backcountry Version
Whipped ricotta powder, cinnamon, and broken cannoli chips layered in a mug. No fridge involved.
- calories
- 420
- weight
- 3.2 oz
- cal / oz
- 131
- protein
- 9 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- 60 ml cold
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dessert
- No cook
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Backpacking
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Powdered whole milk ricotta | 1/2 cup | sold dried for baking; substitute powdered whole milk plus 2 tbsp milk protein if you cannot find it |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy cream powder | 3 tbsp | this is what replaces the chilled cream |
| Confectioners' sugar | 1/2 cup | reserve 1 tsp for dusting |
| Vanilla powder | 1/2 tsp | extract works, but the powder does not leak |
| Ground cinnamon | 1/4 tsp | |
| Dried lemon peel, ground fine | 1/2 tsp | optional, stands in for fresh zest |
| Cannoli chips | 1 cup broken into coarse crumbs, plus 2 whole | |
| Mini chocolate chips | 4 tbsp | split between the layers and the top |
| Cold water | 60 ml | add in stages, it goes thin fast |
Method
- Tip the ricotta powder, cream powder, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon peel into a freezer bag or a wide mug.
- Add about 40 ml of cold water. Work it with a spoon until there are no dry pockets, then add water a teaspoon at a time until it holds a soft peak.
- Let it sit ten minutes. The powders keep hydrating and the mix firms up on its own.
- Put a layer of cannoli crumbs in the bottom of each cup, spoon half the filling over it, then repeat.
- Top with the remaining chocolate chips, a whole chip stuck upright, and the reserved sugar dusted over.
The original is a fridge dessert built on strained ricotta and whipped cream, neither of which survives a day in a pack. Both come in powdered form, and both rehydrate into something close enough. Straining was only ever about removing water, so starting from dry skips the step entirely.
The water amount is the part to respect. Sixty milliliters is a ceiling, not a target, and an overshoot turns the filling into a drink you cannot fix in the field. Add most of it, stir, then dose the rest by the spoon. The ten-minute rest does more for texture than extra stirring does.
Packing
All the dry filling ingredients get whisked together at home and go in one bag; the chips ride in a rigid container or they arrive as dust. Chocolate chips in their own small bag, and keep them out of the sun.
Variations
- Swap the cannoli chips for broken graham crackers or shortbread if you cannot find them.
- A tablespoon of instant espresso powder in the filling makes it read closer to tiramisu.
- Skip the cream powder and use a full cup of powdered milk for a leaner, tangier filling.
https://mealswithmaria.site/no-bake-cannoli-cups