Cream slices with puff pastry combine crisp pastry layers with homemade vanilla cream and Nutella. The filling is made with cinnamon-and-lemon-infused pastry cream mixed with whipped cream, giving it a light, smooth texture. One sheet of ready-made puff pastry makes 24 individual slices, finished with a Nutella drizzle and powdered sugar.
Why You'll Love These Cream Slices with Puff Pastry
- Ready-made pastry: No dough to mix or roll from scratch.
- Homemade vanilla filling: Cinnamon and lemon peel add flavor to the pastry cream.
- 24 individual slices: The pastries are portioned before baking, making them easy to arrange on a sharing platter.
- Simple decoration: Nutella and powdered sugar finish the pastries without a separate frosting.
I wanted to make a small cream-filled pastry that felt worth taking a little time over, while keeping the dough simple. Ready-made puff pastry left me free to concentrate on the homemade filling, and the Nutella gave it the chocolate-hazelnut touch I was looking for. These cream slices sit alongside my apple hand pies with puff pastry and puff pastry cinnamon rolls as another way to turn a sheet of pastry into something to share.
The contrast comes from the crisp pastry and the soft filling. Cooked pastry cream gives the filling body, while whipped cream makes it lighter. The Nutella stays in a separate layer, so the vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon flavors still come through. Cutting the squares before baking also means you can assemble each slice without cutting through a large filled dessert.
Key Ingredients for Cream Slices with Puff Pastry
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at the main ingredients.
- Puff pastry: One sheet is cut into 24 squares, baked, and split horizontally. Each square provides the top and bottom of one slice.
- Milk, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch: These form the pastry cream. The yolks add richness, and the cornstarch thickens the mixture into a filling.
- Cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and vanilla extract: Cinnamon and lemon flavor the milk before being strained out. Vanilla rounds out the flavor of the cream.
- Whipping cream, powdered sugar, and Nutella: Sweetened whipped cream lightens the cooled pastry cream. Nutella adds the chocolate-hazelnut layer and drizzle, with extra powdered sugar for the tops.
How to Make Cream Slices with Puff Pastry
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but here's a quick overview.
1. Make the pastry cream: Bring the milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool. Whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar and sift in the cornstarch. Strain the milk and gradually whisk it into the yolk mixture, followed by the vanilla. Return to the saucepan and stir over low heat for 10-15 minutes, until thick.
2. Chill the cream and bake the pastry: Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap against its surface. Let cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour, until cold. Cut the puff pastry into 24 even squares and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 390°F convection / 200°C fan for 10-15 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Prepare the filling: Beat the whipping cream with the powdered sugar until it holds its shape. Add the cold pastry cream a little at a time, mixing after each addition until smooth. Carefully split each cooled pastry square horizontally.
4. Fill and decorate: Pipe the vanilla cream onto the bottom halves. Warm the Nutella in short microwave bursts until fluid enough to pipe, then add some over the cream. Replace the pastry tops, drizzle with the remaining Nutella, and dust with powdered sugar.
Tips for Making Cream Slices with Puff Pastry
- Cut cleanly: Use a sharp knife to cut evenly sized squares without pressing the pastry edges together.
- Stir thoroughly: Move the spoon or whisk across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan as the pastry cream thickens.
- Share out the filling: Pipe cream onto all 24 bases before adding extra to any individual pastry, so the filling is distributed evenly.
Storage
Store the filled cream slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, although they are best enjoyed on the day they are assembled because the pastry softens against the filling.
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Recipe
Cream Slices with Puff Pastry and Nutella
Ingredients
For the pastry cream
- 400 ml milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Peel of 1 lemon - yellow part only
- 4 egg yolks - at room temperature
- 90 g granulated sugar
- 30 g cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry
For the filling and topping
- 200 ml whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar - plus more for dusting
- 3 tablespoons Nutella
Instructions
- Pour 400 ml milk into a saucepan and add 1 cinnamon stick and the yellow peel of 1 lemon. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool.
- Place 4 egg yolks in a mixing bowl, add 90 g granulated sugar, and whisk until creamy.
- Sift 30 g cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until well combined.
- Strain the milk through a sieve to remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Gradually pour the milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Transfer the mixture to a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until thick, about 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly against the surface. Let cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour, until cold.
- Preheat the convection/fan oven to 200 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll 1 sheet puff pastry at room temperature and cut it into 24 evenly sized squares. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Pour 200 ml whipping cream into a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the cream holds its shape.
- Add the cooled vanilla pastry cream a little at a time, mixing after each addition until all the pastry cream is incorporated and the filling is smooth.
- Carefully cut each cooled puff pastry square in half horizontally.
- Transfer the vanilla cream filling to a piping bag. Pipe the filling onto the bottom half of each pastry.
- Place 3 tablespoons Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl and warm in short bursts until fluid enough to pipe. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe some over the cream filling. Place the pastry tops over the filling, drizzle with the remaining Nutella, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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