Italian Cream-Filled Cornetto Pastries

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The cornetto is Italy's beloved answer to the French croissant—lighter, sweeter, and softer, with a tender enriched dough. Filled with chilled vanilla pastry cream, it's the quintessential morning treat enjoyed with an espresso at any Italian bar.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 19 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 46 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 8 gProtein
• 210 mgSodium
• 155 mgPotassium
• 85 mgCalcium
• 1.6 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 220 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the enriched dough

• 500 g (about 4 cups) bread flour
• 80 g (about 1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 10 g (2 tsp) instant dry yeast
• 8 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk, lukewarm
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, for lamination

For the vanilla pastry cream (crema pasticcera)

• 500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 tsp extract)
• Strip of lemon peel
• 6 large egg yolks
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 50 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch
• 30 g (2 tbsp) cold unsalted butter

For finishing

• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the warm milk, eggs, and vanilla and knead on medium speed for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. While the dough chills, prepare the pastry cream: warm the milk with the vanilla bean (or extract) and lemon peel in a saucepan just until steaming. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks while whisking, return everything to the saucepan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy. Remove from heat, stir in the butter, cover with plastic directly on the surface, and chill until completely cold.
3. Pound the cold butter between two sheets of parchment into a 20 cm (8-inch) square. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a 25 x 25 cm (10 x 10-inch) square. Place the butter square in the center on a diagonal, fold the dough corners over the butter like an envelope, and seal the edges.
4. Roll the dough out into a 25 x 50 cm (10 x 20-inch) rectangle. Fold it in thirds like a letter (bottom third up, top third down). Wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Repeat this roll-and-fold step twice more, chilling 45 minutes between each turn.
5. Roll the final dough 5 mm (1/4-inch) thick and cut into 10 long triangles about 10 cm (4 inches) at the base and 22 cm (9 inches) long. Gently stretch each triangle, make a small 1 cm slit in the center of the base, and roll from base to tip into a crescent shape, tucking the tip underneath.
6. Place the shaped cornetti on parchment-lined trays, cover loosely, and proof at room temperature for 60–90 minutes until puffy and visibly larger.
7. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Brush the proofed cornetti gently with egg wash and bake for 18–20 minutes, rotating once, until deep golden brown. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
8. Once cool, transfer the chilled pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round or star tip. Slice each cornetto horizontally almost all the way through and pipe a generous strip of cream inside. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes

• Keep the butter cold throughout lamination—if it gets too soft, the layers will disappear; chill the dough any time it becomes sticky.
• For the silkiest pastry cream, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before chilling and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• Cornetti are best enjoyed the day they are baked; if making ahead, store unfilled and pipe the cream just before serving so the dough stays crisp-tender.
• A small jar of apricot jam or hazelnut spread (Nutella) piped alongside the cream makes a wonderful variation.
• Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion when slicing open the cooled cornetto so you don't crush the delicate layers.

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