"Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Friday, October 24, 2014

Papal Cream Cake

or Kremowka Papieska (kreh-MOOV-kah  pah-PYESS-yah)

Delicious custard cream filled pastry that does not take a lot of time...using frozen puff pastry dough.

I have also included a 'from scratch' pastry dough recipe.  There may be a time when I will need to make my own.

What you NEED:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
Custard Pastry Cream (recipe below)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place one sheet of pastry dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Cover with a second piece of parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top of the dough, keeping the pastry flat while baking.

Bake for 15 minutes, before removing the cooling rack & parchment paper.  Continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the pastry is crispy with golden flakes.  Cool completely on a cooling rack.


Place one layer of pastry on a tray or pan, pouring custard cream on top.

Place second layer of cooked pastry on top of the custard cream.  Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.  Eat warm or refrigerate for later.

CUSTARD CREAM RECIPE:

2 CUPS MILK
3/4 CUP SUGAR
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1/8 TEASPOON SALT
5 TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH
6 LARGE EGG YOLKS

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla, salt cornstarch and egg yolks.  Stir with a wire whisk.  Bring just to boil and reduce heat, cooking cream for 1 minute more.  Stir constantly so as not to scorch the cream mixture.

Remove the pan from the heat and place it in an ice-water bath as shown below.

Now you are ready to assemble your Papal Cream Cake.  Refer to above directions.

Kremowka from scratch:

8 ounces butter
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons water
3 egg yolks
salt (pinch)

Cut butter into the flour.  Beat egg yolks into the water and mix into the flour.
Divide the dough in half.  Cover the bottom of well greased 8 or 9 inch baking pan with dough half. Repeat with second half.
Bake for 30 minutes in 325 degree pre-heated oven.  Remove and allow to cool completely.  Remove from pans.