can someone please help me? I seem to remember my great aunts making a soft shelled cannoli...... the only recipies I can find right now is for a kind with a deep fried hard type shell....... was I imagining things or does a kind of soft shelled cannoli really exist???

I don't beleive there is a soft shell for cannoli. I would bet money that your aunt filled her cannoli abit too soon before serving and by the time you ate it the shell got soft (which always happens).

If you want to reproduce what hers tasted like make the shells (they are always deep fried) then fill it either the morning of or the night before you want to serve them, I guarentee the shell will be soft. Quick tip...before you sweeten and flavor your ricotta cheese filling put it in a strainer (over a bowl) cover it with plastic and let it drain over night. Ricotta that hasen't been drained can get too soft when mixed with xxxsugar and it will not stay nicely in your shells.

Heaven, I believe what you are refering to is called "cannoncini" which is a baked puff pastry shell formed around a tube, also known as baked cannoli. The filling can be the same as cannoli, which varies according to taste. I hope this helps.

Donato