Indonesian Cream Horns

• •4 piece Egg yolks
• •80 Granulated sugar
• •1 tsp Vanilla extract
• •36 g Cornstarch
• •500 ml Milk (full-fat recommended)
• •30 g Unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
• •2 sheet Frozen puff pastry (thawed according to package instructions)
• •1 piece Egg (for egg wash)
• •30 Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Pastry Cream (Vla): In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 80g granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch until smooth and pale. Set aside.

2. 2

   Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.

3. 3

   Temper the egg mixture: Slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Then, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.

4. 4

   Cook the pastry cream: Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens significantly and coats the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes). It should be thick enough to hold its shape.

5. 5

   Remove from heat and stir in the butter until fully melted and incorporated. Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and firm.

6. 6

   Prepare the Puff Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly flour a clean work surface. Unroll one sheet of thawed puff pastry and cut it into 4-5 strips, each about 1-inch wide. Repeat with the second sheet, yielding 8-10 strips total.

7. 7

   Wrap each pastry strip around a greased cream horn mold, starting from the pointy end and overlapping slightly as you spiral towards the wider end. Gently press the end of the strip to seal it.

8. 8

   Prepare egg wash by lightly beating the egg in a small bowl. Place the wrapped horns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each horn with egg wash and then sprinkle generously with the remaining 30g granulated sugar.

9. 9

   Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. The pastry should look crisp and flaky. Remove from the oven and carefully slide the pastry off the molds while they are still warm (use tongs or a clean kitchen towel to protect your hands). Let cool completely on a wire rack.

10. 10

    Assemble: Once the pastry shells are completely cool and the pastry cream is thoroughly chilled, transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip. Fill each cooled puff pastry horn generously with the vanilla pastry cream.

11. 11

    Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy. These are best eaten fresh and chilled!

Chef's Tips

• 💡Ensure your puff pastry is very cold when you work with it for the flakiest results. If it becomes too warm and sticky, pop it back into the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
• 💡For the smoothest pastry cream, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve after cooking and before chilling.
• 💡If you don't have cream horn molds, you can form cones from aluminum foil, greasing them well before wrapping with pastry.
• 💡The pastry cream can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.