World's Best Cannoli

In a large bowl, mix Ricotta cheese, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (set the other 1/2 cup aside), and cinnamon. Mix until well blended.

Dice the slivered almonds, cutting them in half, and stir them into the mix along with the chocolate chips.

Add Bailey's Irish Cream (optional). Otherwise, you can use 1 teaspoons vanilla extract or almond extract. DON'T USE BOTH!

In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream together with 1 Tablespoon confectioners’ sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

Fold whipping cream into ricotta cheese mixture.

Set 6 of the maraschino cherries aside. Take the rest of them and remove the stems, dice them into 1/4's, and place them on a paper towel. Pat the diced cherries until they are dry (otherwise you will get a pink filling from the juices), and then stir them GENTLY into the mix (again, you don't want pink filling).

Place the mixture into a pastry bag with a large opening, or you can use a large Ziploc baggie and cut off about 1/2" at the corner (that way you can just throw it out when you're done - fewer cleanups is always better!).

Arrange the cannoli shells on a serving tray. Fill each Canolli half way from each end, and then take a Maraschino cherry and place it at one of the ends.

OPTIONAL: Place tray of cannolis in fridge for about 1/2 hour to allow the filling to thicken.

TO SERVE: Take 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and sift it over the entire tray of cannolis, trying to get it mainly on the center portion of the shells. Then take the Hershey's Syrup and lightly drizzle chocolate over the entire plate of cannolis.

Buon Appetito!