This Polish Carpathian Mountain cream cake recipe is known as karpatka. It's a peasant version of the more refined kremówka, which is made with puff pastry.
Karpatka is made with the same type of dough used to make cream puffs and éclairs, known as pâte à choux in French. When dusted with confectioners' sugar, the dessert takes on the look of the craggy, snow-capped Carpathian Mountains, hence its name.
In addition to a custard filling, karpatka can be filled with easy pastry cream.
Ingredients
For Dough
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1 cup water
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10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
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1/8 teaspoon salt
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1 cupall-purpose flour
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5 large eggs
For Filling
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2 cups milk
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1 cup granulated sugar
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2 tablespoons cornstarch, or potato starch
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
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Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Steps to Make It
Make the Dough
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Gather the ingredients.
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Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.
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In a medium saucepan, bring water, 10 tablespoons butter, and salt to a boil.
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When butter has completely melted, remove from heat and, using a wooden spoon, add 1 cup flour all at once.
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Return to stove and stir over low heat for 2 or 3 minutes or until dough cleans sides of pan and forms a ball.
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Remove from heat and stir in eggs one at a time, beating well, either by hand or with an electric mixer, after each addition. The batter should be smooth and glossy and cling to the spoon.
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Pour dough into prepared pan, but don't smooth it out. You want the finished top to look like a rugged mountain. Bake 30 minutes.
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Bake 30 minutes.Remove from oven and pierce top all over with a skewer and bake another 10 minutes or until top is golden brown and dry.
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Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Make the Filling
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a medium saucepan, bring milk, sugar, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons flour to a boil, stirring frequently.
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Reduce heat and continue to cook and stir until thickened like pudding, at least 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
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Place in an ice water bath to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
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Make sure filling is completely cool before beating in 20 tablespoons softened butter.
Assemble the Cake
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Split the cooled pastry in half horizontally.
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Place bottom half back in clean baking pan and pour cooled filling over, spreading evenly.
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Top with other half of pastry and refrigerate until cold.
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When ready to serve, cut into rectangles with a serrated knife and dust heavily with confectioners' sugar to look like snow on a mountain top.
Tips
- This cake is best eaten on the same day. Since it is a custard-type filling, it should be kept refrigerated and will keep for up to two days—just know that it will become mushy the longer it sits.
- You cannot freeze karpatka, so enjoy every bite while it is fresh.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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245 | Calories |
17g | Fat |
15g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 9 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 245 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 17g | 22% |
Saturated Fat 10g | 50% |
Cholesterol 143mg | 48% |
Sodium 95mg | 4% |
Total Carbohydrate 15g | 6% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 90mg | 7% |
Iron 1mg | 6% |
Potassium 139mg | 3% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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