Description
Delight in these elegant Vanilla Custard Cream Squares, featuring flaky puff pastry layers filled with smooth, creamy vanilla custard. Perfect for a sophisticated dessert or an indulgent treat, this recipe combines the crispiness of baked puff pastry with the luscious richness of homemade custard cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
Custard Cream
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 eggs, separated
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pastry: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Shape the Pastry: On a floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry sheets and cut them into 8 to 12 squares, depending on your preferred size. Prick each square with a fork to prevent puffing up unevenly while baking.
- Bake Pastry: Place the cut pastry squares on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until they become golden brown and crisp. Once baked, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Custard: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk until it is steaming but not boiling. Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth. Gradually add the hot milk into the egg mixture while continuously whisking to prevent curdling. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking constantly for 5-7 minutes, until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Assemble: Once the puff pastry squares have cooled, slice each square horizontally in half. Spoon a generous amount of the prepared vanilla custard cream onto the bottom half, then carefully place the top half back onto the custard to form a sandwich.
- Serve: Optionally, dust the assembled custard cream squares with powdered sugar for an elegant touch. Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best texture and flavor experience.
Notes
- Pricking the puff pastry helps prevent uneven puffing and keeps the squares flat enough to hold the custard filling.
- Ensure the milk is hot but not boiling to avoid curdling the eggs when mixing.
- Whisk constantly when cooking the custard to prevent lumps and ensure smoothness.
- These squares can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving or enjoy chilled.
- For a richer custard, you can use half-and-half instead of whole milk.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
