cream-filled puff pastry square

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These elegant cream-filled puff pastry squares (often called napoleons or simple cream horns in square form) combine flaky, buttery layers with a rich, velvety filling. They look like they came straight out of a French bakery, but using pre-made puff pastry makes them surprisingly easy to bake at home.

Here is how to make a classic, bakery-style batch:

Ingredients

The Pastry:

  • 1 box (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed overnight in the fridge)
  • 1 large egg + 1 tbsp water (beaten together for an egg wash)
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for dusting)
The Cream Filling:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade vanilla pastry cream (or vanilla instant pudding mix prepared according to package)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins & Decorating:

  • Fresh berries (raspberries, sliced strawberries, or blueberries)
  • Melted dark chocolate for drizzling

Instructions

1. Bake the Pastry Squares

  1. Preheat & Line: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cut the Squares: Unroll the thawed puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it with a rolling pin just to smooth out the fold lines. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the sheet into 9 equal squares (3×3 grid).
  3. Egg Wash: Arrange the squares on your prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between each. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash.
  4. Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the squares are deeply golden brown and puffed tall.
  5. Cool Completely: Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack. (Crucial: If they are even slightly warm, the cream filling will melt).

2. Prepare the Lightened Vanilla Cream

  1. In a cold mixing bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. Gently fold the whipped cream into your chilled vanilla pastry cream (or prepared vanilla pudding) using a spatula until smooth and uniform. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off).

3. Assemble the Squares

  1. Slice the Pastry: Once cooled, use a sharp serrated bread knife to carefully split each puffed square horizontally in half, creating a top and bottom shell.
  2. Pipe the Filling: Pipe generous rosettes or swirls of the vanilla cream onto the bottom half of each pastry square. If using fresh fruit, nestle a layer of berries directly into the cream.
  3. Cap and Dust: Gently place the top pastry half over the cream. Dust the tops generously with powdered sugar right before serving, or drizzle with melted chocolate.

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