Cannoncini (horns) of crisp and buttery puff pastry filled with silky and rich custard cream

I’d like to start the new year with a special recipe. Something from Italy. Something I absolutely adore. Something… what’s the correct word?!?… Of course, dessert!!

And I don’t mean any old dessert, but rather a crisp and buttery puff pastry shell bursting with rich and sinfully creamy custard.

Here’s everything I want (and need) in a pastry: lick-your-finger wonderful (really! ), simple to make (I used premade puff pastry to save time), and oh-so-appealing.
Examine it out!

INGREDIENTS FOR CUSTARD CREME

three egg yolks
3 teaspoons (30 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar (100 g)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 ounces (235 mL) milk
To make the cannoncini

1 sheet defrosted puff pastry (about 8 oz, 225 gr)
1/2 cup (50 g) sugar
1 egg (to make an egg wash)
to be decorated with powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
To begin, make the custard cream (crema pasticcera):

Warm the milk until it is hot but not boiling.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour until light and fluffy.
While whisking, gradually add the milk, making sure there are no lumps.
Heat the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a slow boil. Because the cream will thicken, take careful not to let it settle at the bottom. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for a few minutes more, or until the desired thickness is reached.
Pour the cream into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
To make the pastry horns:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
Sprinkle some sugar on the counter and on top of the puff pastry before rolling it out to a 9 by 12 inch rectangle.
Cut into 12 stripes (about 1 inch thick). Simple method: divide the pastry into three sections, then cut each section into four strips.
Each strip should be rolled onto a horn mold (conical in shape). The pastry must overlap (by roughly half its length).
Place seam (end of the strip) side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Combine one egg and one tablespoon of water in a mixing bowl. Brush each pastry cone lightly with the egg wash.
Make sure the egg wash stays away from the mold. Once baked, it will be more difficult to extract the pastry horn from the mold.
Bake at 400°F (200 °C) for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is brown.
Allow them to cool for a few minutes before gently removing them from the mold. If the pastry sticks to the mold, carefully press it in (to make the circumference smaller) and turn it inside the pastry until it falls off.
Fill with cream using a piping bag before serving. If desired, top with powdered sugar and serve.