What are cream horns and why are these mini cream horns?
Cream horns are a delicious little pastry created in the shape of a cone. Usually made using puff pastry, cream horns can be filled with anything you like. However most often you will find cream horns filled with a little jam, cream (fresh or buttercream) and topped with a little bit of fruit like raspberries or strawberries.
These are mini cream horns because the puff pastry doesn’t reach the top of the mold. These cream horns are only about 5cm or 2 inches in length. Yes, they are a seriously mini pastry!
These are my personal favorites!
I recently baked these mini cream horns for a baby shower. Prepared with old fashioned mock cream these delicious morsels can be frozen for up to a month before the special occasion. Or keep them on hand in the freezer for when guests unexpectedly drop in. With fresh whipped cream, strawberry jam and fresh strawberries you have a beautiful dessert for you next dinner party. Or why not try chocolate mousse? Children as well as adults will love these!
Mini Cream Horns are so simple to make.
Using store bought puff pastry sheets make this a very simple dessert. I use prerolled puff pastry that comes in 23cm (9inch) square sheets. Cut into strips and wound around buttered cream horn molds, dessert could not be more simple.
All you need is:-
- puff pastry
- icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- butter for greasing molds
- milk for glazing
- raspberry jam
- whipped cream
- raspberries for decorating
I have provided a recipe for an old fashion mock cream if you would rather. This is a pastry that will freeze very well when made with buttercream or mock cream.
If you like this kind of dessert, I know you would also love my krumkake. Isn’t pastry + cream + fruit simply a match made in heaven? These Mini Cream Horns fit the bill perfectly!
Baci,
This updated recipe was first published on 14 June 2010
Mini Cream horns are a very easy, popular, bite size pastry using store bought puff pastry. Cream horn molds are available at good kitchenware stores or online.
- 2 puff pastry sheets
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar plus extra for dusting
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup raspberry jam
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon gelatine
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar optional
- 1/4 cup cold water extra
- This will make lots of cream but any left over can be used to ice cakes or cupcakes or frozen for later use.
- Mix gelatine with 1/4 cup water, stand 5 minutes then heat gently to dissolve.
- Allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
- Very gradually add the gelatine mixture.
- Once this is incorporated gradually add the cold water and cream of tartar, if using. By this stage the cream should be white and fluffy.
- You can refrigerate your cream until the cream horns are ready. The cream will need to be removed from the refrigerator for a few hours to allow it to soften to a creamy consistency. The time this will take will depend on your climate.
- Heat the oven to 200C. Butter your moulds well.
- Dust a sheet of thawed puff pastry with 1 tablespoon sifted icing sugar then cut into about 1cm strips.
- Fold the pastry over the end of the mould wind the pastry around the mould overlapping slightly. The pastry will not reach the top of the mould because these are MINI cream horns.
- Place on a baking paper lined baking tray with the end of the pastry down so that it doesn't pop up during baking. Brush lightly with milk.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned.
- Remove and cool until ready to fill.
- Using a teaspoon or a piping bag place a small amount of jam in the bottom of the pastry horn then fill with cream mock or fresh.
- Finish off with a half a raspberry and dust the mini cream horns with extra sifted icing sugar.
Perfect time to bake these beauties ! So inspiring one ! Grazie milla !
Wow, these are so good! They look so delicious 🙂
And I love how helpful your tips are.
very tasty and appetizing
I havent made these for about 4 years but only made them a couple of weeks ago….I normally use instant vanilla pudding mix with 600ml cream…..Huuuuuuge hit and everyone loves them..they do not last
Marcellina, these are to die for! I opened your page fully expecting to see pate and instead was blown away by beautiful cream horns! Those put any bakery cream horn to shame – so flaky and golden and love the mock cream!
Mmmm, delicious MArcellina. I usually make them with pastry cream, I shall try your filling too, yummy!
They look kind of like a cannoli with one end closed. When I saw the pictures I wondered how you achieved the horn shape, of course it would be something as easy as a mould! ha ha. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for them.
http://thefunkykitchen.com
Gorgeous! I haven't seen these since I was a kid, and now I want one (or two, or three…)! The mock cream sounds really interesting–almost like a buttercream icing. yum!
What a nice and easy treat! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
They sure look delicious Marcellina! I remember seeing these cream horns in some patisseries in France – they were so beautiful but I never got around to eating one. Now I can make them myself anytime! 🙂
These look so sinfully good Marcellina. My mum-in-law makes them sometimes and they disappear so quickly. I've never made mock-cream before, thanks for the recipe, I'm interested to try it because it sounds like it will keep better at room temperature than whipped cream.