Description
A decadent French-inspired dessert made with layers of flaky puff pastry and rich vanilla pastry cream, finished with a classic glaze. Elegant, indulgent, and perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
For the Pastry Layers:
- 3 sheets puff pastry (store-bought or homemade), thawed if frozen
For the Pastry Cream:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz dark chocolate, melted (for marble design, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place puff pastry sheets on baking trays lined with parchment paper. Prick with a fork to prevent puffing. Place another baking sheet on top as weight. Bake 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely.
- Make pastry cream: Heat milk in a saucepan until just simmering. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Slowly temper with hot milk, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Cool with plastic wrap directly on surface.
- Assemble: Place one pastry sheet on a serving platter, spread with pastry cream. Repeat layers, ending with pastry on top.
- Prepare glaze: Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a smooth icing. Spread over top pastry layer. For traditional decoration, drizzle melted chocolate in lines across the glaze and drag a toothpick through to create a marbled effect.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing to allow layers to set.
Notes
- For easier slicing, freeze cake for 30 minutes before cutting with a sharp knife.
- Can be made a day in advance — it tastes even better as the flavors meld.
- Dust with powdered sugar if skipping glaze.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking & Chilling
- Cuisine: French / Russian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
