Austrian Cremeschnitten Cream Slices

If you like puff pastry and custard, then this is the recipe for you. I didn't put a pan on top of the puff pastry, so it puffed up - but still tasted amazing. 

 

Austrian Cremeschnitten Cream Slices

INGREDIENTS:
16 to 18 ounces (2 sheets) puff pastry
3 large eggs separated
3 ⅓ cups milk
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 
⅔ cup cornstarch (corn flour)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter cut into cubes
Powdered sugar as needed for dusting

HOW TO PREPARE:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange puff pastry sheets on parchment paper lined baking sheets (roll out to adjust dimensions if needed) and prick the tops of both sheets with the tines of a fork. Put another baking sheet on top of it and then bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, switching pans from top to bottom and back to front about 15 minutes in. Set aside to cool.

Line the bottom and sides of a pan approximately the same size or slightly larger than your baked puff pastry rectangle with parchment paper. Make sure there is some overhang you can later use to lift out the cream slices.

Place one cooled puff pastry sheet in the bottom. Use a serrated knife to cut the other puff pastry sheet into 8 rectangles or 16 squares. Leave the cut rectangles/squares in the same arrangement and set aside. Pre-cutting them now will make it easier to portion your cream slices later. (I forgot to pre-cut them and it still turned out fine)

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form (they should be thick and foamy but not very stiff). Add ½ cup sugar and continue beating until thick and shiny. It should hold a stiff peak and be glossy like meringue. Set aside.

In a large saucepan or small pot beat the egg yolks together, then slowly add the milk beating until smooth. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

Heat the pan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is very thick and easily coats the back of a spoon and/or reaches a temperature of 180°F with an instant read thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes total.

Remove from the heat, whisk in vanilla and butter until smooth, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a medium mixing bowl. In a couple additions, fold the meringue into the hot custard until no streaks remain.

Pour the custard over the baked puff pastry set in the pan and smooth out the top. Arrange the cut pieces of baked puff pastry over the top. Chill the assembled cremeschnitten in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours to fully set.

Carefully lift the cremeschnitten out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Using the pre-cut top layer of pastry as a guide, use a sharp knife to cut through the layers until the entire pan has been sliced into pieces. Carefully wipe off the blade between cuts for super clean slices. Dust the top generously with powdered sugar and serve.

This is best served the day it is made or at the most within 1 day of assembly. On subsequent days the pastry will begin to soften. Store leftover slices covered with foil in the refrigerator. Putting it in a plastic container will soften the pastry more rapidly. I didn't mind the texture once the pastry began to soften. To each their own!