Are you looking for a dessert recipe that’s quick, incredibly moist, and sure to please both kids and adults? These apple slices with custard and ladyfingers are a guaranteed hit. They combine crispy puff pastry, creamy vanilla custard, fragrant cinnamon apples, and soft ladyfingers that soak up the fruit juices during baking and turn into a cake-like base.
Thanks to ready-made sheets of puff pastry, this dessert comes together in just a few minutes. The only real challenge is patience – the slices need time to rest and chill. After a few hours in the fridge, they transform into a luxurious creamy treat that rivals even the most elaborate cakes. Let’s bake it step by step.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Preparation time | 15 minutes |
| Baking time | about 30 minutes at 180 °C |
| Difficulty | Extremely easy |
| Main flavors | Cinnamon apples, vanilla custard, soft ladyfingers and buttery pastry |
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake Base and Apple Layer:
- 2 sheets of puff pastry: Ideally already rolled out on baking paper to save time.
- 1 large pack of round ladyfingers: (Children’s ladyfingers).
- 4–5 larger apples: Coarsely grated.
- 1 packet of cinnamon sugar: For that signature warm aroma.
- 1 egg: Beaten, for brushing the top pastry before baking.
Silky Vanilla Custard:
- 500 ml milk
- 1 packet of vanilla pudding powder: (Custard powder).
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar: Or to taste.
Step-by-Step Preparation
1. Cooking the Vanilla Custard
From half a liter of milk, one packet of vanilla custard powder, and two tablespoons of sugar, cook a thick custard using the classic method. Remove the pot from the heat and let the custard cool slightly, stirring occasionally. It shouldn’t be hot and runny, but still pourable and easy to spread.
2. Assembling the Ladyfinger Base
Unroll the first sheet of puff pastry with its baking paper and place it on a standard large baking tray. Cover the entire surface of the pastry closely, side by side, with round ladyfingers. During baking, the ladyfingers act as a perfect layer to absorb excess moisture.
3. Apple and Custard Blanket
Peel and coarsely grate the apples. If they’re very juicy, gently squeeze out some of the excess juice with your hands so the cake doesn’t get soggy. Evenly spread the grated apples over the ladyfingers and sprinkle the whole surface with fragrant cinnamon sugar. Then carefully and evenly pour the lukewarm vanilla custard over the apples and smooth it out with a spatula.
4. Sealing with the Top Pastry Sheet
Carefully place the second sheet of puff pastry over the finished custard layer. Firmly press the edges of both sheets (bottom and top) together all around with your fingers or the tines of a fork, so the filling doesn’t leak out during baking. Brush the top pastry with the beaten egg and prick it in several places with a fork – this creates vents for steam to escape and keeps the pastry from puffing up too much.
5. Baking and the Important Cooling Step
Place the tray in an oven preheated to 180 °C (top and bottom heat) and bake for about 30 minutes, until the top of the puff pastry is beautifully golden to honey-colored. After baking, let the slices cool completely at room temperature, then chill them in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Don’t Rush the Slicing!
Remember, impatience doesn’t pay off with this recipe. If you cut the slices while they’re still warm or lukewarm, the custard will be runny and the filling will spill out of the pastry. Only after thoroughly chilling in the fridge will the custard set perfectly and the ladyfingers soak up the apple moisture, so the whole dessert can be sliced cleanly like a luxurious bakery treat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Absolutely! Caramel pudding pairs wonderfully with apples and cinnamon, adding a deeper flavor to the dessert, or chocolate pudding for contrast lovers. Cream or banana pudding is also a great choice.
If you have homegrown apples with thin skin, you don’t need to peel them, as the skin will soften completely in the oven. However, if the apples are store-bought with thick and waxy skin, it’s better to peel them to ensure the filling has a perfectly smooth and creamy texture.
It means that the steam from the apples and pudding has no way to escape. Next time, prick the crust with a fork a bit more densely, or make a few small diagonal slits in the center of the pie with a knife. This way, the steam can escape easily, and the surface will remain beautifully flat.
Apple slices with custard and ladyfingers are clear proof that you can create a luxurious chilled tray cake from simple puff pastry and a few apples. Enjoy!
