Easy Cream Horns with Vanilla and Chocolate Filling (Print version)

Flaky puff pastry horns filled with vanilla cream and chocolate cream, made with store-bought pastry for an easy bakery-style dessert.

# Ingredients:

For the pastry shells

01 - 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1 tablespoon water
04 - Baking spray or softened butter, for greasing molds
05 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting

For the vanilla and chocolate filling

06 - 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
07 - 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
08 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
09 - 2 cups (480 ml) cold heavy cream
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and grease cream horn molds very well with baking spray or softened butter.
02 - Working with one cold puff pastry sheet at a time, roll it lightly to smooth the folds. Cut into long 3/4-inch strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
03 - Starting near the pointed end, wrap each strip around a mold with a slight overlap. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Beat the egg with water and brush lightly over the pastry.
04 - Bake for 14-17 minutes, rotating the pans once, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden. Cool on the molds for 5 minutes, then twist gently to remove. Cool completely on a rack.
05 - Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the cold heavy cream and whip until thick, fluffy, and pipeable.
06 - Transfer half the filling to another bowl. Fold the cocoa powder into one half until evenly chocolate-colored, leaving the other half vanilla.
07 - Spoon each filling into piping bags. Pipe into the cooled pastry shells from the wide end until full. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Good to know:

01 - Fill the shells close to serving time for the crispest texture.
02 - Bake empty shells up to 1 day ahead and store airtight at room temperature.
03 - The filling can be refrigerated for a few hours before piping.

Back