Ingredients
Units
Scale
- VANILLA INFUSED MILK
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- ***
- FLAKY PASTRY
- 1– 1/2 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
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp flour
- 2 pkg. or 2 Tbsp real vanilla sugar
- 3 pkg. gelatine [21 g]
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 8 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- candy thermometer is essential
- ***
- TOPPING
- 1/4 cup icing sugar
Instructions
- Make the vanilla infused milk first.
- • Heat the milk in a saucepan.
- • Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, and add the bean pod to the milk.
- • Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour.
- • Next make the flaky pastry.
- • In a large bowl crumble the flour and the chilled margarine to fine crumbs.
- • Mix in the salt.
- • Place the cold water and the vinegar in a small dish.
- • Pour the liquid over the pastry crumbs.
- • Stir to combine and gradually form a rough ball.
- • Generously flour a board and roll out the pastry into a thin rectangle.
- • Roll up the pastry and divide into 4 parts.
- • Roll each division into a thin rectangle.
- • Stack the four rectangles on top of one another.
- • Chill for twenty minutes.
- • Divide the chilled pastry into two equal halves.
- • Roll out the first pastry very thin.
- • Fold it in half and place the folded edge in the middle of the 9X13 baking pan.
- • Unfold and arrange the pastry with deep folds as in the photo.
- • Let the dough go up the sides halfway, pastry will shrink during baking.
- • Place in a preheated 400F oven for 14-18 minutes.
- • Keep a watch, pastry burns easily.
- • When the pastry is golden brown, remove pan from the oven.
- • Immediately cut pastry into twelve squares.
- • Divide the long side by 4 and the short side by 3.
- • 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.
- • Roll out the remaining dough and arrange it in the baking pan as before.
- • Bake the second pastry sheet and set it aside. This will be the bottom of the krémes.
- • Next make the custard layer.
- • In a medium sized bowl beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar for 8 minutes
- • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, gelatine and the vanilla sugar.
- • Gradually add the flour mixture to the beaten egg yolks and beat until smooth.
- • Remove the vanilla pods from the vanilla infused milk.
- • Gradually add the vanilla infused milk to the bowl with the eggs and the flour.
- • Transfer custard to a medium sized pot.
- • Attach the candy thermometer to the side of the pot so you can keep an eye on the temperature.
- • Over medium heat and continually stirring heat the custard.
- • Do not let custard heat beyond 80C [176F] for this recipe.
- • When the custard reached 80C remove from heat.
- • Stir in the butter and set aside.
- • While the custard is cooling whip the egg whites.
- • With clean beaters beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- • Add the lemon juice and beat until almost stiff.
- • Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until very stiff and shiny.
- • Very slowly and gradually, gently fold the custard into the stiff egg whites.
- • Pour on top of the bottom pastry layer and place in the fridge.
- • Make sure the pan is level on the shelf.
- • When the gelatine is beginning to set, place the pastry squares on the top.
- • Let the krémes chill thoroughly.
- • Before serving generously sift icing sugar on the top.
- • Cut the slices between the pastry squares.