Crispy and buttery puff pastry cannoncini filled with velvety and rich custard cream
INGREDIENTS
For the custard cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons (30 gr) of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 gr) of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 8 oz (235 ml) of milk
For the cannoncini
- 1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted (about 8 oz, 225 gr)
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) of sugar
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- powdered sugar to decorate
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by preparing the custard cream (crema pasticcera):
- Warm up the milk until hot (not boiling).
- In a medium sized pan, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla extract and flour, until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk some at a time while whisking, making sure there are no lumps.
- Place the pan over medium heat and stir continuously until it reaches a slow boil. The cream will thicken, so be careful not to let it stick to the bottom. Lower the flame and cook for a couple of more minutes, until you reach the desire thickness.
- Pour the cream in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool down. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
For the pastry horns:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Sprinkle some sugar on the counter and on top of the puff pastry and roll it out to a rectangle about 9 by 12 inches.
- Cut into 12 stripes (about 1 inch thick). Easy way to do it: cut the pastry in three parts, and then each part into four strips.
- Roll each strip onto a horn mold (conical in shape). The pastry has to overlap (about half of the length).
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with seem (end of the strip) side down.
- Beat one egg with one tablespoon of water. Brush lightly each pastry cone with the egg wash.
- Make sure you keep the egg wash away from the mold. It will make it harder to remove the pastry horn from the mold once baked.
- Bake at 400°F (200 °C) for about 15-20 minutes until golden on top.
- Let them cool down for a couple of minutes and gently remove from the mold. If the pastry sticks to the mold, you can press in the mold a little (to make the circumference smaller) and very gently turn it inside the pastry until it comes off.
- Before serving, fill with the cream using a piping bag. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like, and enjoy!