Papal Cream Cake Recipe

Introduction

Papal Cream Cake is a delightful layered dessert featuring crisp puff pastry and rich, creamy custard. This traditional treat combines buttery, flaky pastry with a smooth vanilla custard, making it perfect for special occasions or a comforting sweet snack.

Ingredients

• For the Puff Pastry:
• 1⅓ cup (300g) butter
• 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 medium egg
• ½ tablespoon vinegar (5%)
• ⅓ cup warm water
• For the Custard:
• 4½ cups (1L) whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup potato starch
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the butter mixture by combining 300g butter with 100g flour. Knead the mixture until smooth, then flatten it into a 2 cm thick square between plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.
2. Step 2: Make the dough by mixing the remaining flour with the egg, vinegar, and warm water. Knead until a soft, pierogi-like dough forms, then roll it into a circle.
3. Step 3: Place the chilled butter mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold the dough over like an envelope, sealing the edges completely.
4. Step 4: Laminate the dough by rolling it into a long rectangle and folding it into thirds. Lightly roll it again, wrap in plastic, and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding process three more times, rotating the dough 90° each time.
5. Step 5: Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half to a large rectangle and bake separately at 425°F (220°C) for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the baked pastry to cool. Cut one sheet into squares for the top layer.
6. Step 6: Prepare the custard by bringing 750ml of the milk together with butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining milk with the egg yolks, whole eggs, flour, and potato starch until smooth. Slowly pour this mixture into the boiling milk while stirring constantly. Cook the custard until it thickens.
7. Step 7: To assemble, place the whole sheet of baked pastry on a serving platter. Pour the warm custard evenly over the pastry. Then top with the pre-cut pastry squares.
8. Step 8: Chill the assembled cake for several hours or until set. Before serving, dust generously with powdered sugar. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut clean slices.

Tips & Variations

• Chilling the dough between folds is essential for creating flaky layers in the puff pastry.
• For extra flavor, add a splash of rum or almond extract to the custard.
• You can substitute potato starch with cornstarch if necessary, but potato starch provides a smoother texture.
• Make sure the custard is slightly warm when pouring over the pastry to help it absorb evenly.

Storage

Store the Papal Cream Cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slightly in a warm oven to refresh the pastry layers if desired, but serving chilled is traditional and delicious. Avoid freezing as it may affect the pastry’s texture and custard quality.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the puff pastry from scratch in advance?

Yes, you can prepare and laminate the puff pastry dough ahead of time. After the final fold, wrap it tightly and refrigerate overnight before baking.

What can I use instead of vanilla sugar?

If you don’t have vanilla sugar, substitute with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds from half a vanilla bean for similar flavor.

Papal Cream Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 123 reviews

Papal Cream Cake is a luscious layered pastry combining flaky puff pastry with a rich, creamy custard filling, topped with powdered sugar for a delicate finish. This classic dessert features homemade laminated puff pastry enveloping a smooth vanilla custard, perfect for special occasions or an indulgent treat.

• Author: Cleo
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: European
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Puff Pastry:

• 1⅓ cup (300g) butter
• 2½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 medium egg
• ½ tablespoon vinegar (5%)
• ⅓ cup warm water

For the Custard:

• 4½ cups (1L) whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup potato starch
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. Prepare Butter Mixture: Combine 300g butter with 100g flour and knead until smooth. Form this mixture into a 2 cm thick square between plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill.
2. Make Dough: Mix the remaining 200g flour with the egg, vinegar, and warm water until a soft, pierogi-like dough forms. Roll the dough into a circle.
3. Enclose Butter: Place the chilled butter mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold the dough edges over to completely enclose the butter like an envelope and seal the edges tightly.
4. Laminate Dough: Roll the dough into a long rectangle and fold it into thirds as for a letter. Lightly roll again, then wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Repeat this rolling, folding, and chilling process three more times, rotating the dough 90° each time to create multiple layers.
5. Bake Pastry: Divide the laminated dough into two halves. Roll each half into a large rectangle and bake separately in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the baked pastry sheets to cool. Cut one sheet into squares to use as the cake’s top layer.
6. Make Custard: In a saucepan, bring 750 ml of the milk with the butter, white sugar, and vanilla sugar to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 250 ml milk, egg yolks, whole eggs, flour, and potato starch to form a smooth mixture. Slowly pour this into the boiling milk mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and stirring until the custard thickens.
7. Assemble: On a serving platter, place the full sheet of baked pastry as the base. Pour the warm custard evenly over the bottom pastry layer. Top with the pre-cut pastry squares to form the upper layer of the cake. Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for several hours to set.
8. Finish: Just before serving, dust the top of the cake generously with powdered sugar. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut clean slices for serving.

Notes

• Ensure the butter and dough are well chilled during lamination to achieve flaky puff pastry layers.
• The lamination process creates multiple thin layers for a crisp and tender texture.
• Use a sharp serrated knife for clean cake slices to avoid breaking the delicate pastry layers.
• Allow ample chilling time for the custard to set properly inside the pastry layers.
• Vanilla sugar adds extra depth of flavor but can be substituted with vanilla extract if unavailable.

Keywords: Papal Cream Cake, puff pastry, custard dessert, layered cake, laminated dough, vanilla custard, European dessert