Italian Cream filled Cannoncini

Prep Time: 40 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 12 

Wonderful custard-filled cream horns or cannoncini made of puff pastry and filled with the silkiest vanilla bean diplomat cream ever. I formed my own cones out of tin foil but would purchase them for the next time for a more beautiful shape. Inspired by Manuela Anelli Mazzocco of Cooking with Manuela   https://www.cookingwithmanuela.com/2019/01/italian-cream-horns.html and by Bree Hester of Baked Bree for the silkiest and best Diplomat Cream ever! Amazing with berries or with any dessert that richly deserves a dreamy custard to be served with. https://bakedbree.com/diplomat-cream 

1 puff pastry sheet

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

1 recipe diplomat cream, recipe included below

Powdered sugar, a dusting

Preheat the oven to 400*. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat. Spray lightly with oil. Prepare a rolling surface for the puff pastry by dusting a smooth surface with granulated sugar. Lay the sheet of pastry on top and roll it out to 9.12 inches. Cut the dough into 12 (1-inch) strips using a pizza roller. Roll a strip of dough onto a horn mold (a conical shape metal mold) beginning at the bottom and rolling up overlapping the dough a bit. Repeat with each strip of dough using 12 horn molds. Whisk egg and water to create an egg wash and brush each horn with the egg wash being careful not to brush any on the mold as it will make it difficult to remove after baking. Place on the prepared baking sheet with the end of the strip, seam end down. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the dough is a beautiful golden color. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the dough from the mold. Pipe the cooled horns with diplomat cream that has cooled to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar.

Diplomat Cream:

3 cups milk

¾ cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup cornstarch

1 Tbsp flour

4 egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp butter

2 cups heavy cream, cold

In a saucepan, warm milk to the scalding point over medium-low heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, salt, cornstarch, and flour together. Add egg yolks on top and whisk while pouring a ladleful of hot milk over the egg yolks to temper them. Add several more ladles of hot milk into the egg mixture whisking all the while to keep the mixture smooth. Then pour it into the saucepan of milk while whisking the milk. Cook until thickened then stir in the vanilla bean paste and extract. Turn the heat off and stir in the butter. Allow the custard to cool. If you have any egg bits, it’s easiest to sieve or strain them out before the custard has cooled. Whip the cold cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the custard.