Polish Karpatka Cake
Polish Karpatka Cake is a traditional layered dessert made of golden choux pastry and silky vanilla crème mousseline, dusted with powdered sugar to resemble snowcapped mountains.
Calories:
Ingredients
For the Crème Mousseline
- 5 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated white sugar divided into ⅓ + ⅓ cup
- 7 tablespoons potato starch
- 2½ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 200 grams unsalted butter room temperature (about 14 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
For the Choux Pastry
- ¾ cup water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
Other
- Butter for greasing pans
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Beat egg yolks with ⅓ cup sugar until pale, then mix in potato starch until smooth.
- Heat milk with remaining ⅓ cup sugar and salt until simmering, then remove from heat.
- Slowly whisk 1 cup hot milk into egg mixture, then return all to pan and add vanilla.
- Cook over low heat, whisking constantly until thickened, then cool with plastic wrap on top.
- Boil water, butter, and salt; add flour and stir until dough forms, then let cool 5 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, plus yolk, until dough is glossy and smooth.
- Divide into two pans, spread unevenly, and bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until golden.
- Beat butter with 2 tbsp sugar until light, then gradually mix in cooled custard until smooth.
- Layer one pastry sheet, spread cream, top with second sheet, and press gently.
- Chill 2 hours, then dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.