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- Let me share these beautiful cream horns that always wow everyone! Think flaky pastry swirled into perfect cones filled with the most luxurious cream. I learned these from my grandmother and while they look fancy they're actually pretty simple to make. Perfect for holidays, special occasions, or just when you want to feel a little fancy!
Let's Get Started
- Sweet But Not Too Sweet
- That perfect balance of flaky pastry and creamy filling hits just right.
- Make Them Your Own
- Switch up the flavors, add different extracts, try chocolate or fruit fillings!
- Easier Than You Think
- Don't let their fancy looks fool you, these are totally doable.
Round Up These Ingredients
- Puff Pastry: Two sheets, thawed but still cold.
- For Sealing: One large egg mixed with splash of water.
- The Filling Base: Softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, pure vanilla.
- Make It Creamy: Heavy cream whipped until fluffy.
- Chocolate Option: Good cocoa powder for half the filling.
- Final Touch: Extra powdered sugar for dusting.
- Special Tools: Cream horn molds, cooking spray for easy release.
Let's Make Magic
- Prep Those Molds
- First, grab your cream horn molds, give them a really good coating of butter or baking spray. Don't skip any spots or your horns will stick! Line up your forms on a baking sheet, ready to go.
- Get Your Pastry Ready
- Take out one sheet of puff pastry, keep the other cold. Roll it out nice and thin, about 1/8 inch. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide; you want them long enough to wrap around your molds with a little overlap.
- Wrapping Time
- Starting at the pointed end, wrap those strips around each mold. Overlap slightly as you go; keeps them from unwrapping. Press the end piece firmly to seal it, brush with egg wash; makes them golden.
- Into The Oven
- Bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes. Watch them close; they should puff up, get super golden and flaky. You might need to rotate your pan halfway through for even baking.
- Cooling Is Key
- Let them cool on the molds about 5 minutes, then gently twist to loosen. Cool completely on a rack before you even think about filling!
- Make That Dreamy Filling
- Beat your cream cheese until it's super light and fluffy, no lumps allowed! Whip your cream in another bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold them together with vanilla and powdered sugar nice and gentle.
- Time To Fill
- Put your filling in a piping bag with a small tip. Fill from both ends; gets cream all the way through, no empty spots! Top up until it just peaks out the ends.
- Final Touches
- Give them a pretty dusting of powdered sugar. Want to get fancy? Dip the ends in melted chocolate, add some sprinkles, or drizzle with caramel.
- Serve With Style
- Arrange them on a pretty platter, sprinkle with more sugar just before serving. Watch everyone's eyes light up when they bite into these beauties!
Make Them Perfect
- Use real cream cheese, not the light stuff here; keep your pastry cold while working, spray those molds good, nothing worse than stuck pastry and make sure everything's completely cool before filling or you'll have a melty mess.
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Mix It Up
- Try different extracts like almond or peppermint, switch to strawberry buttercream or marshmallow filling. Want them fancy? Dip the ends in chocolate, add sprinkles, the possibilities are endless.
Storage Secrets
- Here's the deal: filled ones need eating right away; that cream won't wait! But you can make the shells ahead, keep them in an airtight container or try my favorite trick: freeze them filled; they're like little ice cream treats.
Make Them Party Perfect
- Set up a filling bar, let people pick their flavors. Stack them on a pretty tower for parties, add fresh berries or mint leaves; makes them look super fancy. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving; looks like snow.
Fix Common Problems
- Shells not puffy enough? Your oven wasn't hot enough. Filling too soft? Probably needed more whipping. Pastry unwrapping? Make sure you sealed those edges good; remember, baking's just problem solving with sugar.
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Tools You'll Need
- Those horn molds are must-haves but easy to find online. A good piping bag makes filling way easier. Don't have a stand mixer? A hand mixer works fine, just takes longer. And parchment paper saves so much cleanup time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Do I need special molds?
Yes, cream horn molds are required.
- → Can I make ahead?
Bake shells ahead but fill just before serving.
- → Why spray the molds?
Prevents sticking and ensures easy removal.
- → Can I freeze the shells?
Yes, unfilled shells freeze well.
- → Why add cream cheese?
Helps stabilize the whipped cream filling.