20 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and cold (0.7 oz.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
350 g puff pastry (ready rolled pastry sheet) (12.3 oz.), thawed but still cold
For the topping (optional)
1 large egg, slightly beaten with a fork
granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Directions:
Preparing the pastry cream: Pour the milk into a small pot and add about a third of the sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until just simmering.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a medium-sized bowl until combined. *Tip: Whisk as soon as you add the sugar to the egg yolks to prevent lumps from forming.*
Add the sifted cornstarch and whisk once more to combine. If you find the mixture thick you can use a spoon instead of a whisk for this step.
Tempering the eggs: Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Don’t pour all the liquid at once. We want to slowly raise the temperature of the eggs without cooking them.
Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat (for about 5 minutes), whisking constantly. Once the foam subsides and the cream starts to thicken, keep an eye out for bubbles forming. When this happens, keep heating for 1-2 more minutes to get rid of any starchy taste. If the cream is starting to stick to the pot or you notice lumps forming, reduce the heat.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter. Add the vanilla extract and whisk until completely smooth and glossy.
Transfer to a wide container (to cool down quickly). Press a piece of parchment paper onto the surface of the cream to prevent a film from forming.
Let it cool down briefly at room temperature (about 10 minutes) then chill for at least an hour or until cold.
Preparing the pastry cones: Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F, convection setting (or 190°C/374°F, conventional setting). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Carefully unroll the puff pastry and place it back on the paper that was used to wrap it (or parchment paper). If needed, gently roll it out with a rolling pin to flatten it evenly. Tip: If the puff pastry starts to crack, it’s probably too cold. Let it warm up at room temperature a little before using it. If it is sticky and hard to handle at any point, return it to the refrigerator.
Using a sharp knife, divide the dough (along the long edge) into equally sized strips, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) each.
Place a strip (smoother side out) on the tip of a cream horn mold (pointy side) and lightly press it so it sticks. The bottom side of the pastry sheet (touching the wrapping paper) will probably be smoother than the top side.
Then carefully wrap the dough around the mold, slightly overlapping it. Gently press the edge onto the mold. See pictures in the post for a visual. Repeat with the remaining molds. See notes if you don’t have enough molds.
Optional: Brush with the beatenegg (avoiding the mold) and sprinkle with granulatedsugar. *Tip: When applying egg wash, it’s best to do it over a small bowl to catch drips (not over the baking sheet).*
Place on prepared baking sheet, pastry seam side down so that it doesn’t unfold. If your kitchen is very warm, it’s best to chill the pastries for about 10 minutes before baking them to ensure they puff up properly.
Bake until puffy and golden, about 18 minutes. Let them cool down slightly at room temperature, about 10 minutes, before unmolding. If the pastry won’t release easily, gently twist the cone mold whilst pulling the pastry.
Place on a wire rack to cool down completely before filling with cream.
Filling the cones: Take the pastry cream out of the fridge and transfer to a mixing bowl. Whip using a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes to loosen.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large tip with pastry cream. Pipe cream into the pastry cones just before serving and enjoy!