Cream Horns

Lightly grease cream horn molds and a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Roll out the pastry to 1/8 inch thick, cut into strips 1 inch long. Brush lightly with beaten egg white. Wind the pastry around the molds, starting at the point and overlapping each round.

Trim the tops, brush again with the egg white and set on the baking tray. Cook for 7-8 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove the horns from the tin and place on a wire cooling rack.

Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla essence. When the horns are cold, place 1/2 tsp of jam at the bottom of each one and fill with the whipped cream.

For Pastry: Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Cut butter into tiny dice. Mix together water and lemon juice. Add butter to flour. Using a knife, mix to a fairly soft crumbly paste with water and lemon juice. Take care not to cut or break down the butter any further. Draw together with fingertips. Turn out on to a floured work surface and shape into a block.

Roll into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle measuring about 18 x 6 inches. Fold in three, envelope style, by bringing the bottom third over the middle third and folding the top third over. Seal the open edges by pressing firmly together with a rolling pin. Give the pastry a quarter turn so that the folded edges are to the right and left.

Roll out, fold and turn three more times. If possible, put the folded pastry into a polythene bag or wrap in aluminum foil and chill for about 15 minutes between rollings.