Ah, Cremeschnitte 🍰—a classic Central European dessert, sometimes called “cream slice.” It’s a luscious combination of flaky puff pastry and vanilla custard cream, often topped with powdered sugar or icing. Think of it as a light, creamy, dreamy napoleon.
Here’s a solid way to make it at home:
Cremeschnitte (Cream Slice Cake)
Servings: 8–10
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25–30 min + chilling
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 2 sheets puff pastry (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional, for sprinkling on top)
For the custard cream:
- 2 cups (500 ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
Optional topping:
- Powdered sugar or icing sugar
- Whipped cream (for extra decoration)
Instructions
- Bake the puff pastry
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out puff pastry sheets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Prick with a fork to prevent excessive puffing.
- Bake 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Let cool completely.
- Make the custard cream
- In a saucepan, heat milk until just simmering.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking (tempering).
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely.
- Assemble the cake
- Place one baked puff pastry sheet on a serving tray.
- Spread custard cream evenly over it.
- Top with second puff pastry sheet.
- Chill & serve
- Refrigerate at least 2–3 hours before slicing.
- Dust with powdered sugar or spread a thin layer of icing on top.
- Optional: pipe whipped cream on top edges for decoration.
🔥 Tips
- Chill thoroughly—Cremeschnitte slices best when custard is firm.
- For extra flavor, you can fold whipped cream into custard for a lighter texture.
- Slice with a serrated knife to avoid crushing the layers.
- Can also add a thin layer of jam between pastry and custard for sweetness contrast.
I can also give you a fully homemade puff pastry Cremeschnitte recipe with a whipped cream custard layer that tastes like a bakery version if you want it extra luxurious.
Do you want that version?
