Cream Horns

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Roll out the cold puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide strips, about 10 inches (25 cm) long.
3. Lightly brush each strip with the egg wash made by whisking together 1 large egg and 1 tbsp (15 ml) water. Wrap each strip around a cream horn mold, overlapping slightly to form a spiral.
4. Place the wrapped molds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove from oven and let cool on the molds for 5 minutes, then carefully remove molds. Let the pastry cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk with the scraped seeds and pod of 1 vanilla bean over medium heat just until it starts to simmer. Remove the pod.
7. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch, and 4 large egg yolks until smooth and pale.
8. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
9. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter until melted and smooth.
10. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, and chill for at least 15 minutes until cold.
11. Fill a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip with the chilled pastry cream.
12. Pipe the pastry cream into the cooled cream horns from the wide end until filled.
13. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.