Karpatka (Poland's Famous Cake)

Ingredients

• 100 g Butter (for the dough)
• 1 tsp Granulated sugar (for the dough)
• Salt (a pinch, for the dough)
• 140 g All-purpose flour (for the dough)
• 200 ml Water (for the dough)
• 4 Eggs (medium-sized (use 3 if large); for the dough)
• 5 tbsp Sugar (for the cream)
• 2.5 tbsp Cornstarch (for the cream)
• 1 Egg yolk (for the cream)
• 2.5 cup Milk (for the cream)
• 1 packet Vanilla sugar (5g; for the cream)
• 150 g Butter (for the cream)
• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Steps

1. 1

   In a pot, combine the sugar, cornstarch, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened into a custard. Remove from heat.

2. 2

   Cover the surface of the custard directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and place it in the fridge to cool completely.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk 150g of butter until creamy. Gradually add the cooled custard to the butter, whisking continuously until well combined and smooth. Return the finished cream to the fridge.

4. 4

   For the dough, combine water, 100g butter, salt, and granulated sugar in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.

5. 5

   Once boiling, add the flour all at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon.

6. 6

   Keep stirring over the heat for about 2-3 minutes until the dough thickens and forms a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pot. Set it aside to cool.

7. 7

   Once the dough has cooled, add the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth and has a consistency similar to the video (not too runny).

8. 8

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Divide the dough into two equal parts.

9. 9

   Place each half of the dough into a separate baking pan (or bake in batches), spreading it out and creating waves or peaks on the surface with a spoon to create the 'mountain' effect.

10. 10

    Bake for 35 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking, as this can cause the choux pastry to collapse.

11. 11

    Once the pastry layers are baked and cooled, spread the prepared cream over the bottom layer, pressing it down to fill all the gaps and waves. If desired, add fresh strawberries or raspberries on top of the cream.

12. 12

    Place the second pastry layer on top. Chill the cake in the fridge for a few hours to set.

13. 13

    Before serving, dust the top generously with powdered sugar.

Notes

The dough consistency is key; it should be thick enough to hold the 'wave' shape. For best results, ensure the custard and butter are at similar temperatures when whisking them together to prevent curdling. You can add fresh berries between the layers for a fruity variation.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• Polish
• choux pastry
• baked
• cream cake
• Karpatka