Description
A guide to baking and styling the classic Polish Cream Cake, focusing on achieving the signature mountain peaks and beautiful presentation for stunning visuals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for cream)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks (for cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened, for cream)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- For the pastry base: Combine water, 1 cup butter, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in the flour until a smooth dough ball forms.
- Return the pan to low heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and glossy.
- Divide the dough in half. Spread one half onto a prepared baking sheet to form a rectangle.
- Bake the bottom layer for 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool.
- For the meringue top: Beat the 4 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Spread the meringue onto the second prepared baking sheet. Create peaks and valleys using the back of a spoon to mimic mountain shapes.
- Bake the meringue layer at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.
- For the cream filling: Whisk together milk, cornstarch, remaining sugar, and 4 egg yolks in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in the 1/2 cup softened butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Let the pastry cream cool slightly.
- Assemble the cake: Place the baked pastry base on a serving platter. Spread the cooled pastry cream evenly over the base.
- Carefully place the cooled meringue layer on top of the cream.
- Chill the cake for at least 4 hours to set.
- Before serving, dust heavily with powdered sugar for the classic aesthetic.
Notes
- For the best mountain peak structure, do not overmix the meringue after adding the sugar.
- To achieve high contrast in photography, dust the powdered sugar heavily over the dark meringue peaks.
- Chill the pastry base briefly before adding the cream to help maintain its structure when serving.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Polish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 150mg