If you’re craving a truly luxurious, layered and famous patisserie treat that easily outshines any store-bought dessert with its flavor and delicacy, plain sheet cakes simply won’t do. Forget about boring pastries – this homemade krémeš made from crispy puff pastry, rich vanilla egg yolk cream, fluffy whipped cream and a glossy chocolate glaze is the absolute top, and will disappear from the table in no time. The secret to success lies in thinly rolled and well-pricked pastry sheets, a smooth buttery cream, and letting the dessert rest overnight.
What you’ll need for a large baking tray:
For the crispy base:
- Puff pastry: 500 g (divided into two equal halves)
For the rich vanilla cream:
- Whole milk: 800 ml (divided for cooking and mixing)
- Custard powder (or vanilla pudding powder): 2 packets
- Egg yolks: 2 pcs
- Granulated sugar: 100 g
- Vanilla sugar: 2 packets
- Butter: 250 g (must be at room temperature)
For the fluffy whipped cream layer:
- Whipping cream (min. 33%): 500 ml (well chilled)
For the chocolate glaze:
- Baking chocolate: 100 g
- A piece of butter or cream: to soften and add perfect shine
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Baking crispy puff pastry sheets: Divide the puff pastry into two parts. Roll each one out into a thin sheet the exact size of your baking tray. To prevent the pastry from puffing up too much and to keep it flat, prick it all over with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 to 160 °C until golden brown. Let the baked sheets cool completely.
2. Preparing the egg yolk custard base: In part of the cold milk, thoroughly mix the custard powder, egg yolks, granulated sugar and vanilla sugar. Bring the remaining milk to a boil in a pot, pour in the prepared mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until you get a very thick cream. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature (stir occasionally while cooling to prevent a skin from forming).
3. Whipping up the fluffy cream: In a bowl, beat the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Then gradually add the cooled custard base by spoonfuls, beating until you have a perfectly smooth, delicate and voluminous egg yolk cream.
4. Assembling the krémeš layers: Spread all the egg yolk cream evenly over the first baked and cooled puff pastry sheet and smooth it gently. Spread a layer of stiffly whipped cream over the cream. Carefully cover everything with the second baked pastry sheet and press down gently.
5. Chocolate finish and chilling: Melt the baking chocolate with a piece of fat or a spoonful of cream in a water bath for a beautiful shine. Pour the chocolate glaze evenly over the top of the krémeš (or drizzle it in a zigzag pattern if you prefer). Place the dessert in the fridge for several hours, ideally overnight, so the pastry sheets soften and the cream sets.
Proven tips for a perfect result:
- Pricking the puff pastry: Thoroughly pricking the pastry with a fork before baking prevents large bubbles and ensures a flat, even sheet.
- Same temperature for ingredients: When whipping the butter cream, make sure both the custard and the butter are at the same room temperature, otherwise the cream may curdle.
- Letting it rest before cutting: Let the krémeš rest in the fridge until the next day – the puff pastry will absorb moisture and the dessert will be much easier to cut cleanly.
