🇮🇹 Italian Cream Stuffed Cannoncini (Cream Horns)
Crispy, golden pastry horns filled with silky vanilla custard cream — a classic treat you’ll find in Italian pastry shops.
🛒 Ingredients (Makes 10–12)
For the Pastry:
- 1 sheet puff pastry (store-bought, thawed)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Sugar (for sprinkling)
For the Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera):
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp butter
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Pastry Horns
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Roll out puff pastry slightly and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) strips.
- Wrap each strip around a metal cream horn mold, overlapping slightly.
- Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Place seam-side down on baking tray lined with parchment.
- Bake 15–18 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool completely, then gently remove molds.
2️⃣ Make the Pastry Cream
- Heat milk in a saucepan until just steaming (not boiling).
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale.
- Add cornstarch and mix until smooth.
- Slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Cook until thick (about 3–5 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and cool completely.
3️⃣ Fill the Cannoncini
- Transfer cooled cream into a piping bag.
- Pipe cream into both ends of each pastry horn.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
🍽 Tips for Best Results
- Chill pastry molds before baking for extra flakiness.
- Make cream a few hours ahead for better texture.
- For extra flavor, add lemon zest or a splash of rum to the cream.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
- A chocolate cream variation 🍫
- A mascarpone filling version
- A professional bakery-style version
- Or a quick 30-minute shortcut recipe ⏱️
