Vanilla Custard Cake with Cherry Jam

Ingredients

• 6 cup whole milk (divided)
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for custard)
• 1.25 cup cornstarch (for custard)
• 7 tbsp butter (at room temperature and cubed; margarine can be substituted)
• 2 cup heavy cream (whipped to medium peaks)
• 3 cup frozen cherries (or frozen berries of choice)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar (for fruit layer)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch (for fruit layer)
• 0.5 cup water (divided)
• powder sugar (for dusting)
• 2 sheet store-bought puff pastry

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out the two sheets of puff pastry and place them on baking sheets. Prick them all over with a fork to prevent excessive rising. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let them cool completely.

2. 2

   To make the vanilla custard, set aside about 1 cup of the milk. Pour the remaining milk into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the 6 egg yolks, vanilla extract, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 1/4 cups of cornstarch with the reserved 1 cup of cold milk until smooth and no lumps remain.

4. 4

   Slowly pour the egg mixture into the simmering milk, whisking constantly. Continue to cook and whisk until the mixture thickens significantly into a dense custard.

5. 5

   Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the cubed butter until fully melted and incorporated. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and let it cool to room temperature.

6. 6

   Once the custard is cool, gently fold in the whipped heavy cream until the mixture is light and uniform.

7. 7

   To make the fruit layer, place the frozen cherries and 1/2 cup of sugar in a saucepan with half of the water. Bring to a boil.

8. 8

   Mix the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with the remaining water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the boiling cherries and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

9. 9

   To assemble, place one sheet of baked puff pastry at the bottom of a deep baking dish or cake ring. Spread half of the vanilla custard evenly over the pastry.

10. 10

    Spread the cooled cherry jam layer over the custard, then top with the remaining half of the vanilla custard.

11. 11

    Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top. For easier serving, you may pre-cut the top pastry sheet into squares before placing it on the custard.

12. 12

    Refrigerate the cake for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the layers to set. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

For a cleaner presentation, you can cut the top layer of puff pastry into squares before assembling; this prevents the custard from squishing out when you slice the finished cake. You can substitute the cherries for raspberries or blueberries if preferred.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baking
• custard cake
• puff pastry
• cherries
• vanilla
• European dessert