Puff pastry horns with meringue cream

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   To make the horns, gather the ingredients you'll need. The puff pastry can be homemade or store-bought. If it's frozen, thaw it at room temperature.

2. Step 2:

   

   You'll also need metal cream-horn molds to shape the pastries.

3. Step 3:

   

   Roll the puff pastry out a little and cut it into strips about 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) wide. One 250-gram sheet of dough is enough for 10 horns. Wind each strip of dough around a mold, starting at the wide end. Stretch the dough slightly if needed. Wrap it so that it overlaps a little with each turn.

4. Step 4:

   

   Arrange the wrapped molds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. It's a good idea to seal the ends of each horn with dough so the cream won't leak out the back later on.

5. Step 5:

   

   Brush the horns with egg yolk and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes. Go by your own oven and keep an eye on their color.

6. Step 6:

   

   The finished horns will turn a lovely golden brown.

7. Step 7:

   

   Slide the metal molds out of the horns and leave them to cool.

8. Step 8:

   

   While the horns cool, make the cream. Pour the water into a small saucepan and add the measured sugar. Set it over the heat and bring it to a boil. Add a pinch of citric acid to the boiling syrup and keep cooking until it reaches 250°F (120°C). If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, drop a bit of the syrup into cold water. If you can roll the drop into a ball, the syrup is ready. If not, cook it a little longer.

9. Step 9:

   

   Put the egg white in a mixing bowl and whip it on the highest speed until you have a fluffy, stable mass.

10. Step 10:

    

    Then pour the hot syrup into the egg white in a thin stream, without stopping the mixer. Keep whipping the cream for another 4 to 5 minutes. By then it will be fluffy, glossy, and firm. The cream is ready to use.

11. Step 11:

    

    Fill the horns with the cream using a piping bag.

12. Step 12:

    

    The cream horns with meringue cream are ready. Enjoy with a cup of tea!