Canoli Cupcakes: Inspired by our week in Boston

Nate and I recently spent some time in Boston.  The Coast Guard base 9where we can get parking) is perpendicular to Hanover Street-the little Italy of Boston.  Naturally, we found ourselves eating canoli and learning of the feud between Mike's and Modern Pastry.  We decided to join in the fun and do a taste comparison ourselves.  We tried canoli from both places and the winner is...Mike's Pastry!  Well, all this canoli eating inspired me to make a canoli cupcake!  I am so proud of these cupcakes.  To me, they are truly a work of genius.

The process:
1.  Baking vanilla bean cupcakes.  I used a real vanilla bean for the first time, thus making me feel legit. 
2. Using "the cupcake plunger" to make holes for filling.  I was a little confused by the little contraption at first, but I got the hang of it.
3. Dip canoli shells in chocolate.
4. Put a piece of canoli shell and chocolate chips at the bottom of the cupcake filling hole.
5. Pipe ricotta canoli filling into the cupcake.
6. Add more chocolate chips.
7. Pipe more ricotta canoli filling onto the top of the cupcake.
8. Garnish with a chocolate dipped canoli shell.
9. Eat and be amazed.



Here is the final product!  I made a few with whole canoli on top!