Hungarian Custard Slice – Krémes

Ingredients

• VANILLA INFUSED MILK
• 2 cups milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• ***
• FLAKY PASTRY
• 1- ½ cup + 1 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 cup chilled hard margarine
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 Tbsp cold water
• 4 tsp vinegar
• ***
• CUSTARD LAYER
• 8 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp flour
• 2 pkg. or 2 Tbsp real vanilla sugar
• 3 pkg. gelatine [21 g]
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 8 egg whites
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• candy thermometer is essential
• ***
• TOPPING
• ¼ cup icing sugar

Instructions

1. Make the vanilla infused milk first.
2. • Heat the milk in a saucepan.
3. • Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, and add the bean pod to the milk.
4. • Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour.
5. • Next make the flaky pastry.
6. • In a large bowl crumble the flour and the chilled margarine to fine crumbs.
7. • Mix in the salt.
8. • Place the cold water and the vinegar in a small dish.
9. • Pour the liquid over the pastry crumbs.
10. • Stir to combine and gradually form a rough ball.
11. • Generously flour a board and roll out the pastry into a thin rectangle.
12. • Roll up the pastry and divide into 4 parts.
13. • Roll each division into a thin rectangle.
14. • Stack the four rectangles on top of one another.
15. • Chill for twenty minutes.
16. • Divide the chilled pastry into two equal halves.
17. • Roll out the first pastry very thin.
18. • Fold it in half and place the folded edge in the middle of the 9X13 baking pan.
19. • Unfold and arrange the pastry with deep folds as in the photo.
20. • Let the dough go up the sides halfway, pastry will shrink during baking.
21. • Place in a preheated 400F oven for 14-18 minutes.
22. • Keep a watch, pastry burns easily.
23. • When the pastry is golden brown, remove pan from the oven.
24. • Immediately cut pastry into twelve squares.
25. • Divide the long side by 4 and the short side by 3.
26. • Wait a few minutes and very carefully remove the squares and set them aside in the same order as they were in the pan. These will go on the top later.
27. • Roll out the remaining dough and arrange it in the baking pan as before.
28. • Bake the second pastry sheet and set it aside. This will be the bottom of the krémes.
29. • Next make the custard layer.
30. • In a medium sized bowl beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar for 8 minutes
31. • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, gelatine and the vanilla sugar.
32. • Gradually add the flour mixture to the beaten egg yolks and beat until smooth.
33. • Remove the vanilla pods from the vanilla infused milk.
34. • Gradually add the vanilla infused milk to the bowl with the eggs and the flour.
35. • Transfer custard to a medium sized pot.
36. • Attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot so you can keep an eye on the temperature.
37. • Over medium heat and continually stirring heat the custard.
38. • Do not let custard heat beyond 80C [176F] for this recipe.
39. • When the custard reached 80C remove from heat.
40. • Stir in the butter and set aside.
41. • While the custard is cooling whip the egg whites.
42. • With clean beaters beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
43. • Add the lemon juice and beat until almost stiff.
44. • Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until very stiff and shiny.
45. • Very slowly and gradually, gently fold the custard into the stiff egg whites.
46. • Pour on top of the bottom pastry layer and place in the fridge.
47. • Make sure the pan is level on the shelf.
48. • When the gelatine is beginning to set, place the pastry squares on the top.
49. • Let the krémes chill thoroughly.
50. • Before serving generously sift icing sugar on the top.
51. • Cut the slices between the pastry squares.