Description
Delight in these classic Cream Horns featuring crisp, golden puff pastry shells filled with a luscious, fluffy marshmallow and buttercream cream. Perfectly baked for a light, flaky texture, these treats combine the rich sweetness of marshmallow fluff and powdered sugar with a hint of vanilla. Ideal for parties or a sweet afternoon snack, they are as beautiful as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry Shells
- 2 boxes Puff Pastry Dough, thawed
- 1 tablespoon water, for sealing dough edges
Cream Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening (113g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (345g)
- 3 cups marshmallow fluff (13oz, 368g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional, strongly recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Roll Out Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, unfold one sheet of puff pastry dough. Gently roll it out using a lightly floured rolling pin to even out and smooth the dough while retaining the visible fold creases.
- Cut Dough Strips: Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut each pastry section into 4 even strips, ensuring uniform width for consistent baking and shaping.
- Wrap Dough Around Molds: Take a dough strip and wind it around a cream horn mold (cone- or tube-shaped). If using cone shapes, start wrapping from the narrow tip upward, overlapping slightly; for tube molds, start at either end. Moisten the end of the strip with water to adhere it securely to the mold and to the next strip. Each mold should hold approximately 3 strips of dough. Avoid wrapping too close to the mold edges to allow easy removal later.
- Bake the Pastry Shells: Place the wrapped molds on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until the pastry turns light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the mold for 20 minutes to set the shape.
- Remove Pastry from Molds: Carefully slide the cooled pastries off the molds and place them on a wire rack. Let them cool an additional 10 minutes to completely cool and crisp up before filling.
- Prepare the Cream Filling: In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and vegetable shortening using an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and whip for 2 minutes until fluffy. If using, incorporate the heavy cream before increasing speed to add extra smoothness and volume.
- Fill the Pastry Shells: Transfer the cream filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large piping tip. Pipe the filling generously into each cream horn. For tube-shaped shells, fill from both ends for even distribution.
- Storage: Store your filled cream horns in an airtight container at room temperature. Consume within 3 days for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Do not wrap pastry dough strips too tightly around the molds or too close to the edges, or it will be difficult to remove after baking.
- Rolling the dough gently maintains the fold creases which help create flaky layers.
- The optional heavy cream in the filling adds a lighter texture and creaminess; highly recommended.
- Make sure pastry is completely cooled before filling to avoid melting the cream.
- Puff pastry dough can be store-bought or homemade; thaw fully before use for best results.
- Use cone-shaped molds for traditional cream horns or tube molds for a slightly different shape.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
