Cream and Krantz Cones
I have experienced several times that when making cream and krantz cones, not all of them come out perfectly shaped. If I don't work quickly, the dough hardens and doesn't roll well. I found it easiest when I greased the tray well and poured the mixture directly onto it, without paper, although sometimes they turned out irregular. I noticed that I need to organize all the ingredients at hand and work in small batches; otherwise, they cool down and cannot be shaped.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes, if you work leisurely
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes (depends on how quickly you roll the cones)
Cooking/baking time: 3-4 minutes per batch, for every 4-5 pieces
Servings: approx. 40 small cones
Difficulty: medium, requires attention to shaping and quick work
Recipe type: homemade dessert, suitable for festive platters or sweet snacks
Ingredients
For the dough:
3 eggs
Sugar equal to the weight of the eggs (weigh the whole eggs, then use sugar in the same amount)
Flour equal to the weight of two eggs
A pinch of salt
For the cream:
2 eggs
150 g sugar
150 g butter
1 tablespoon cocoa
For the krantz:
200 g walnuts
3 tablespoons sugar for caramelizing
For the glaze:
50 g chocolate
Preparation method
1. Preparing the dough for cones
Break the eggs and weigh them whole (including the shell, as was traditionally done). Then weigh an equal amount of sugar and a quantity of flour equal to that of two eggs. In a bowl, put the eggs, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt. Mix everything with a spoon until completely homogeneous. The mixture should be fluid but not too thin.
2. Shaping the cones
Preheat the oven to medium heat. Grease a tray well (or use greased parchment paper). Take spoonfuls of the mixture and pour onto the tray, making thin circles. Do not put more than 4-5 pieces at once, as they need to be shaped immediately after being ready. Place the tray in the oven and let it bake for 3-4 minutes, until the edges turn golden.
Remove the tray and, while they are hot, detach the cones with a wide knife. Quickly roll them between your fingers and join the ends to obtain the cone shape. Work quickly; otherwise, they harden and break. Repeat the process until you finish all the dough, making sure to grease the tray each time; otherwise, they will stick.
3. Preparing the cream
For the cream, put the sugar, eggs, and cocoa in a bowl over a double boiler. Stir constantly until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (when it "coats the spoon"). Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter cut into pieces. Mix well until homogeneous. Let it cool.
4. The walnut krantz
In a pan, put 3 tablespoons of sugar to caramelize. When the sugar turns golden, add the roughly chopped walnuts. Pour everything onto a lightly greased baking sheet and let it cool completely. Once hardened, chop it in a food processor or with a knife. Set aside 2 tablespoons of krantz for decoration; the rest goes into the cream.
5. Assembling the cones
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Dip the edge of the cones (the wider part) into the melted chocolate. Fill each cone with the walnut cream and sprinkle the reserved krantz on top.
Why I make this recipe often
I like cream and krantz cones because they can be made from simple ingredients that I usually have at home. The recipe is suitable when I want something crunchy and fine, and the filling can be adapted based on what I have on hand. They keep for a few days if not filled and remain fresh. I also like that I can control their size.
Tips and variations
Tips
The dough should be worked while hot; otherwise, the cones won't roll well.
The tray must be generously greased each time.
If the dough is too runny, you can add a little more flour.
If you want more regular edges, spread the mixture in circles with the back of the spoon.
Substitutions
You can replace the walnuts with hazelnuts or almonds in the krantz, but the taste will be slightly different.
If you don't have cocoa, you can leave the cream without it; it will just be with butter and egg.
Variations
The cream can be made only with butter and sugar, without cocoa, if you want a simpler taste.
You can also fill the cones with whipped cream or a vanilla cream if you don't necessarily want chocolate.
For decoration, use melted white chocolate or sprinkle nut flakes.
Serving ideas
The cones can be placed on a platter, decorated with krantz and chocolate. They are served with coffee or alongside other homemade pastries, especially on special occasions or when you have guests.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to roll the cones while they are warm?
The dough becomes rigid very quickly after baking. If you don't roll them immediately after taking them out of the tray, they harden and can no longer be shaped without cracking.
Can I keep the empty cones and fill them later?
Yes, the empty cones last 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. You fill them just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Can the cones be made larger?
They can be made larger, but it's harder to roll them correctly and not break them. Smaller versions are easier to handle and come out more uniform.
How do I clean the tray if the dough sticks?
If it sticks, let the tray soak in warm water. Ideally, grease it well each time with a little extra butter.
Can I replace the eggs in the cream with something else?
For this cream, the eggs are essential for the fine texture. Without eggs, it won't turn out as well.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one cone (approximately, varies depending on size and filling):
Calories: 80-90 kcal
Protein: 1.2 g
Carbohydrates: 7-8 g
Fats: 5-6 g
The quantities are estimates. The recipe is quite rich in sugar and fats from butter and nuts. For a lighter version, you can reduce the filling or use a cream with less butter.
Storage and reheating
Filled cones should be consumed on the same day or at most the next day; otherwise, they get soggy. Empty ones last 3-4 days in an airtight container, kept cool. They do not need to be reheated, nor is it recommended; they become brittle at high temperatures. If you want to prepare them in advance, make the cones, leave them unfilled, and fill them only at serving time.
I have experienced several times that when making cream and krantz cones, not all of them come out perfectly shaped. If I don't work quickly, the dough hardens and doesn't roll well. I found it easiest when I greased the tray well and poured the mixture directly onto it, without paper, although sometimes they turned out irregular. I noticed that I need to organize all the ingredients at hand and work in small batches; otherwise, they cool down and cannot be shaped.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes, if you work leisurely
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes (depends on how quickly you roll the cones)
Cooking/baking time: 3-4 minutes per batch, for every 4-5 pieces
Servings: approx. 40 small cones
Difficulty: medium, requires attention to shaping and quick work
Recipe type: homemade dessert, suitable for festive platters or sweet snacks
Ingredients
For the dough:
3 eggs
Sugar equal to the weight of the eggs (weigh the whole eggs, then use sugar in the same amount)
Flour equal to the weight of two eggs
A pinch of salt
For the cream:
2 eggs
150 g sugar
150 g butter
1 tablespoon cocoa
For the krantz:
200 g walnuts
3 tablespoons sugar for caramelizing
For the glaze:
50 g chocolate
Preparation method
1. Preparing the dough for cones
Break the eggs and weigh them whole (including the shell, as was traditionally done). Then weigh an equal amount of sugar and a quantity of flour equal to that of two eggs. In a bowl, put the eggs, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt. Mix everything with a spoon until completely homogeneous. The mixture should be fluid but not too thin.
2. Shaping the cones
Preheat the oven to medium heat. Grease a tray well (or use greased parchment paper). Take spoonfuls of the mixture and pour onto the tray, making thin circles. Do not put more than 4-5 pieces at once, as they need to be shaped immediately after being ready. Place the tray in the oven and let it bake for 3-4 minutes, until the edges turn golden.
Remove the tray and, while they are hot, detach the cones with a wide knife. Quickly roll them between your fingers and join the ends to obtain the cone shape. Work quickly; otherwise, they harden and break. Repeat the process until you finish all the dough, making sure to grease the tray each time; otherwise, they will stick.
3. Preparing the cream
For the cream, put the sugar, eggs, and cocoa in a bowl over a double boiler. Stir constantly until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (when it "coats the spoon"). Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter cut into pieces. Mix well until homogeneous. Let it cool.
4. The walnut krantz
In a pan, put 3 tablespoons of sugar to caramelize. When the sugar turns golden, add the roughly chopped walnuts. Pour everything onto a lightly greased baking sheet and let it cool completely. Once hardened, chop it in a food processor or with a knife. Set aside 2 tablespoons of krantz for decoration; the rest goes into the cream.
5. Assembling the cones
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Dip the edge of the cones (the wider part) into the melted chocolate. Fill each cone with the walnut cream and sprinkle the reserved krantz on top.
Why I make this recipe often
I like cream and krantz cones because they can be made from simple ingredients that I usually have at home. The recipe is suitable when I want something crunchy and fine, and the filling can be adapted based on what I have on hand. They keep for a few days if not filled and remain fresh. I also like that I can control their size.
Tips and variations
Tips
The dough should be worked while hot; otherwise, the cones won't roll well.
The tray must be generously greased each time.
If the dough is too runny, you can add a little more flour.
If you want more regular edges, spread the mixture in circles with the back of the spoon.
Substitutions
You can replace the walnuts with hazelnuts or almonds in the krantz, but the taste will be slightly different.
If you don't have cocoa, you can leave the cream without it; it will just be with butter and egg.
Variations
The cream can be made only with butter and sugar, without cocoa, if you want a simpler taste.
You can also fill the cones with whipped cream or a vanilla cream if you don't necessarily want chocolate.
For decoration, use melted white chocolate or sprinkle nut flakes.
Serving ideas
The cones can be placed on a platter, decorated with krantz and chocolate. They are served with coffee or alongside other homemade pastries, especially on special occasions or when you have guests.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to roll the cones while they are warm?
The dough becomes rigid very quickly after baking. If you don't roll them immediately after taking them out of the tray, they harden and can no longer be shaped without cracking.
Can I keep the empty cones and fill them later?
Yes, the empty cones last 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. You fill them just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Can the cones be made larger?
They can be made larger, but it's harder to roll them correctly and not break them. Smaller versions are easier to handle and come out more uniform.
How do I clean the tray if the dough sticks?
If it sticks, let the tray soak in warm water. Ideally, grease it well each time with a little extra butter.
Can I replace the eggs in the cream with something else?
For this cream, the eggs are essential for the fine texture. Without eggs, it won't turn out as well.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one cone (approximately, varies depending on size and filling):
Calories: 80-90 kcal
Protein: 1.2 g
Carbohydrates: 7-8 g
Fats: 5-6 g
The quantities are estimates. The recipe is quite rich in sugar and fats from butter and nuts. For a lighter version, you can reduce the filling or use a cream with less butter.
Storage and reheating
Filled cones should be consumed on the same day or at most the next day; otherwise, they get soggy. Empty ones last 3-4 days in an airtight container, kept cool. They do not need to be reheated, nor is it recommended; they become brittle at high temperatures. If you want to prepare them in advance, make the cones, leave them unfilled, and fill them only at serving time.