Every time I make vanilla cream horns, I place them on the table to cool, and a few of them disappear immediately. I can't call them quick or easy desserts, but they are among the fluffiest and most substantial ones I make at home. The vanilla filling pairs perfectly with the soft dough. Sometimes the cream leaks out during baking, but there's usually enough left inside. The recipe is classic, not diet-friendly, but I don't complicate things: I prepare two types of dessert, and these disappear first.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 and a half hours
Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes (including rising)
Baking time: 30-35 minutes
Servings: 16 horns
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade dessert, ideal for weekends or holidays
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 400 g flour
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 70 g sugar
- 200 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 50 g butter
- grated lemon zest
For the vanilla cream:
- 4 eggs
- 180 g sugar
- 400 ml milk
- 80 g flour
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar or 1 vanilla pod
For finishing:
- 1 egg yolk + a little milk for brushing
Instructions
1. The dough. Start with the yeast. Dissolve 25 g of fresh yeast in 50 ml of lukewarm milk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt 50 g of butter and mix it with the remaining milk (150 ml) and 70 g of sugar. Place 400 g of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Pour the dissolved yeast into the well, add the butter, milk, and sugar mixture, one beaten egg, and the grated lemon zest. Mix the ingredients with a spoon, then knead by hand directly in the bowl. You will get a soft, non-sticky dough.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm place. It should double in size.
4. After it has risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide it into 16 equal pieces. Take each piece and roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin rectangle.
5. The filling. For the vanilla cream, bring 400 ml of milk to a boil along with the vanilla sugar or the split vanilla pod. In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs with 180 g of sugar and 80 g of flour until the mixture is smooth. When the milk starts to boil, gradually pour it over the egg mixture, stirring well. Return everything to low heat, stirring continuously until the cream thickens like pudding. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
6. Assembly. Place a tablespoon of vanilla cream in the center of each rectangle of dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling and pinch them together with your fingers to seal. Cut the uncovered half into strips, then wrap the strips around the filled part. It’s important to seal the edges as well as you can, but don’t stress if some cream leaks during baking; it happens often.
7. Place the horns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the egg yolk mixed with a little milk. Let them sit on the tray for another 15 minutes, uncovered, to rise slightly at room temperature.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes, until they turn golden.
9. Remove the horns from the oven and let them cool before removing them from the parchment paper.
Why I make the recipe often
I love making these horns when I have time to be around the dough. They come out soft, with a subtle flavor of vanilla and lemon, and the texture remains good even the next day. They are delicious both warm and cold. If I make two types of filling, I can please everyone.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. If using dry yeast, reduce the amount to one packet (7 g) and mix it directly with the flour.
2. The cream must be cooled before putting it in the dough; otherwise, it will make the dough too soft during baking.
3. Try not to overcrowd the horns on the tray to ensure even baking.
4. For a shinier crust, brush the horns twice: once before the final rise and again before baking.
Substitutions
- Butter can be replaced with margarine, but the texture will be different.
- The vanilla pod can be replaced with 2 packets of vanilla sugar.
- White sugar can be replaced with brown sugar for a slightly caramelized taste, but it won’t change the final result too much.
Variations
- You can also use grated apple or fruit preserves instead of vanilla cream.
- The dough can also be flavored with other aromas (orange zest or rum essence).
- If you want smaller horns for children, make 20 pieces; they will be smaller but just as fluffy.
Serving Ideas
- They are great on their own, with coffee or tea.
- You can dust them with vanilla sugar once they have cooled.
- They also work well for breakfast alongside a glass of cold milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use dry yeast instead of fresh yeast?
Yes, one packet of 7 g of dry yeast is sufficient. You don’t need to dissolve it separately; you can add it directly to the flour.
2. If I don’t have a vanilla pod, can I use something else?
Yes, two packets of vanilla sugar are enough to flavor the cream.
3. What should I do if the cream leaks out of the horns during baking?
It’s normal for a little cream to leak, especially if you haven’t sealed the dough perfectly. The important thing is not to put too much filling and to pinch the edges as well as you can.
4. Can I use this recipe for horns with a different type of filling?
Yes, it works just as well with grated apples, sweet cheese, or thick fruit preserves.
5. Can the horns be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing them; the texture is not the same after thawing. They are best fresh or kept for 1-2 days at most.
Nutritional Values (estimated)
For one horn (out of 16): approximately 190-220 kcal, with 5 g of protein, 8 g of fat, 27 g of carbohydrates. The sugar content is moderate, and the fats mainly come from butter and eggs. These values are indicative and may vary depending on how much cream remains inside.
Storage and Reheating
The vanilla cream horns store well at room temperature in a covered container or wrapped in a towel for 1-2 days. I do not recommend refrigerating them, as the dough will harden. They are not suitable for freezing. They can be briefly heated in the microwave, but the cream may liquefy. They are best served on the day they are made or the next day.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 and a half hours
Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes (including rising)
Baking time: 30-35 minutes
Servings: 16 horns
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade dessert, ideal for weekends or holidays
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 400 g flour
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 70 g sugar
- 200 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 50 g butter
- grated lemon zest
For the vanilla cream:
- 4 eggs
- 180 g sugar
- 400 ml milk
- 80 g flour
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar or 1 vanilla pod
For finishing:
- 1 egg yolk + a little milk for brushing
Instructions
1. The dough. Start with the yeast. Dissolve 25 g of fresh yeast in 50 ml of lukewarm milk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, melt 50 g of butter and mix it with the remaining milk (150 ml) and 70 g of sugar. Place 400 g of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Pour the dissolved yeast into the well, add the butter, milk, and sugar mixture, one beaten egg, and the grated lemon zest. Mix the ingredients with a spoon, then knead by hand directly in the bowl. You will get a soft, non-sticky dough.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm place. It should double in size.
4. After it has risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide it into 16 equal pieces. Take each piece and roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin rectangle.
5. The filling. For the vanilla cream, bring 400 ml of milk to a boil along with the vanilla sugar or the split vanilla pod. In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs with 180 g of sugar and 80 g of flour until the mixture is smooth. When the milk starts to boil, gradually pour it over the egg mixture, stirring well. Return everything to low heat, stirring continuously until the cream thickens like pudding. Allow it to cool completely before filling.
6. Assembly. Place a tablespoon of vanilla cream in the center of each rectangle of dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling and pinch them together with your fingers to seal. Cut the uncovered half into strips, then wrap the strips around the filled part. It’s important to seal the edges as well as you can, but don’t stress if some cream leaks during baking; it happens often.
7. Place the horns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the egg yolk mixed with a little milk. Let them sit on the tray for another 15 minutes, uncovered, to rise slightly at room temperature.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes, until they turn golden.
9. Remove the horns from the oven and let them cool before removing them from the parchment paper.
Why I make the recipe often
I love making these horns when I have time to be around the dough. They come out soft, with a subtle flavor of vanilla and lemon, and the texture remains good even the next day. They are delicious both warm and cold. If I make two types of filling, I can please everyone.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. If using dry yeast, reduce the amount to one packet (7 g) and mix it directly with the flour.
2. The cream must be cooled before putting it in the dough; otherwise, it will make the dough too soft during baking.
3. Try not to overcrowd the horns on the tray to ensure even baking.
4. For a shinier crust, brush the horns twice: once before the final rise and again before baking.
Substitutions
- Butter can be replaced with margarine, but the texture will be different.
- The vanilla pod can be replaced with 2 packets of vanilla sugar.
- White sugar can be replaced with brown sugar for a slightly caramelized taste, but it won’t change the final result too much.
Variations
- You can also use grated apple or fruit preserves instead of vanilla cream.
- The dough can also be flavored with other aromas (orange zest or rum essence).
- If you want smaller horns for children, make 20 pieces; they will be smaller but just as fluffy.
Serving Ideas
- They are great on their own, with coffee or tea.
- You can dust them with vanilla sugar once they have cooled.
- They also work well for breakfast alongside a glass of cold milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use dry yeast instead of fresh yeast?
Yes, one packet of 7 g of dry yeast is sufficient. You don’t need to dissolve it separately; you can add it directly to the flour.
2. If I don’t have a vanilla pod, can I use something else?
Yes, two packets of vanilla sugar are enough to flavor the cream.
3. What should I do if the cream leaks out of the horns during baking?
It’s normal for a little cream to leak, especially if you haven’t sealed the dough perfectly. The important thing is not to put too much filling and to pinch the edges as well as you can.
4. Can I use this recipe for horns with a different type of filling?
Yes, it works just as well with grated apples, sweet cheese, or thick fruit preserves.
5. Can the horns be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing them; the texture is not the same after thawing. They are best fresh or kept for 1-2 days at most.
Nutritional Values (estimated)
For one horn (out of 16): approximately 190-220 kcal, with 5 g of protein, 8 g of fat, 27 g of carbohydrates. The sugar content is moderate, and the fats mainly come from butter and eggs. These values are indicative and may vary depending on how much cream remains inside.
Storage and Reheating
The vanilla cream horns store well at room temperature in a covered container or wrapped in a towel for 1-2 days. I do not recommend refrigerating them, as the dough will harden. They are not suitable for freezing. They can be briefly heated in the microwave, but the cream may liquefy. They are best served on the day they are made or the next day.