Last Updated on 19/10/2023 by Adina
This is the best cremeschnitte recipe - two layers of puff pastry filled with heavenly creamy vanilla cream. It is a classic Romanian pastry recipe.
This is the creamiest cremeschnitte you can imagine! I have no words for this Romanian cremsnit; you have to make this to see what I am talking about.
I can say it is creamy – the creamiest -but that word will still not be able to describe the feeling this vanilla cream leaves on your tongue, the sweetness and delicacy of the taste, that feeling of utter satisfaction you get when eating this cremeschnitte.
I have made many cakes and pies or desserts during the past ten years, but I can tell you honestly, this cremeschnitte recipe is one of my favorites, alongside this Raspberry and Lemon Cake and this Lemon Meringue Pie.
Featured comment:
Charmaine: I made the custard with Truvia and used Vanilla paste. It was excellent! My daughter asked me to make it for Christmas. 22 servings coming up! It was THAT good.
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Recipe ingredients
Puff pastry: I used ready-rolled puff pastry found in the supermarket's refrigerator section. However, frozen puff pastry also works well. Thaw and roll it according to the package instructions.
- Try this delicious Berry Puff Pastry Cake, too.
Vanilla custard ingredients: Eggs, cornstarch, vanilla extract, milk, sugar, butter, and lemon.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make cremeschnitte?
Make the vanilla custard
- Step #1: Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and ensure the electric mixer's beaters are also clean. You cannot beat the egg whites properly if there is any trace of fat on them. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
- Step #2: Add the egg yolks one at a time. Carefully and slowly incorporate each egg yolk.
- Step #3: Add the cornstarch, vanilla extract, and finely grated lemon zest and incorporate them with a plastic spatula.
- In the meantime, heat the milk well. Do that in a jug; pouring the milk over the egg mixture will be easier. If you don't have a heatproof jug, transfer the milk to a regular plastic or glass jug after heating it.
- Step #4: Very slowly, pour the milk over the egg mixture. If you are right-handed, hold the jug in your left hand and the electric mixer in your right hand. Pour in a thin stream while mixing.
- As you can see, I had to transfer the mixture to a larger bowl; the previous one was too small.
- Step #1: Transfer the egg-milk mixture to the pan where you heated the milk. Whisk regularly to prevent the pudding from sticking. While the foam will make it hard to see the custard, you'll feel it thicken as stirring becomes more difficult. The foam will disappear once you stir in the butter. Keep whisking until the custard thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
- Step #2: Remove the vanilla cream from the heat and add the cubed butter, 1 or 2 small pieces at a time, whisking continuously to help it melt and incorporate into the pudding.
- Step #3: Transfer the cremeschnitte filling to a large bowl and leave to cool for a while; the cream should be lukewarm when you spread it on the pastry.
Bake the puff pastry
- Step #1: Place one pastry sheet on a lined baking sheet.
- Step #2: Place the second sheet on a second baking sheet and cut it into 15 rectangles.
- Steps #3 and #4: Bake each puff pastry sheet according to the packet's instructions or until golden brown. It took me about 12 minutes, but keep an eye on them and read the instructions. Leave to cool completely.
Assemble cremeschnitte
- Step #1: Place one pastry sheet on a rectangular serving plate and press it gently if it is puffed up.
- Step #2: Spread the custard evenly on top.
- Step #3: Place the already cut pastry squares on top and press gently.
- Step #4: Refrigerate the cremeschnitte for one or two hours to allow the vanilla filling to set, and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
Storage
Cremeschnitte is best served immediately, or on the day you baked it.
However, you can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The pastry will soften, but the slices will still be out-of-this-world delicious.
Cremeschnitte Recipe
This is the best cremeschnitte recipe - two layers of puff pastry filled with heavenly creamy vanilla cream. It is a classic Romanian pastry recipe.
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Servings: 15 pieces
Calories: 230kcal
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs separated
- pinch of salt
- 300 g granulated sugar 10.5 oz/ 1 ½ cups
- 100 g cornstarch 3.5 oz/ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract to taste
- zest of ½ organic lemon optional
- 1 liter full-fat milk 4 ¼ cups
- 200 g unsalted butter 7 oz/ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon
- 2 sheets of puff pastry about 40x24 cm/ 16x10 inches, Note 1
Instructions
Vanilla custard:
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.5 large eggs + pinch of salt + 300 g granulated sugar/ 1½ cups
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, incorporating each yolk carefully and slowly. Next, add the corn starch, vanilla extract, and finely grated lemon zest and combine it with the help of a plastic spatula.100 g cornstarch/ ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon +1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract + zest of ½ organic lemon
- Heat the milk: In the meantime, heat the milk well. Do that in a jug; it will be easier to pour the milk over the egg mixture. Or transfer the milk to a jug after heating it.1 liter full-fat milk/ 4¼ cups
- Mix: Very slowly, pour the milk over the egg mixture. Keep the jug in the left hand if you are right-handed and the electric mixer in the right hand. Pour in a thin stream while mixing.
- Transfer the egg-milk mixture back to the jug/pan where you heated the milk, if large enough. If not use a large pot.
- Cook custard: Place on low heat and bring to a simmer while whisking continuously. It will be like making a pudding; this is also the consistency you will have to reach. So keep whisking (I do that with a regular whisk this time) until you get a thick pudding; it will not take long, about 3-4 minutes, depending on the size of the pot. Make sure to regularly reach the bottom and the walls of your pan with the whisk to avoid the custard catching at the bottom.
- You will not be able to see the custard in the pot very well at this point as there will be a lot of foam on top. But you will be able to feel it when it thickens, stirring will become less easy. The foam will disappear once you start stirring in the butter.
- Add butter: Take off the heat and add the cubed butter, 1 or 2 small pieces at a time, while whisking continuously to help them melt and incorporate in the custard.200 g unsalted butter/ 7 oz
- Leave to cool for a while; the filling should be lukewarm when you spread it on the pastry.
Cremeschnitte:
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius/ 430 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut pastry: It is preferable to cut one of the pastry sheets into squares (15) before baking, it will be much easier to cut the whole cake into pieces once it is baked.2 sheets of puff pastry
- Bake the puff pastry sheets one after another according to the packet's instructions or until golden brown. It took me about 12 minutes but keep an eye on them and read the instructions. Leave to cool completely.
- Fill: Place the uncut pastry sheet on a rectangular serving plate, press it down gently if too puffed up. Spread the vanilla custard evenly on top. Place the pastry squares on top and press gently.
- Refrigerate for one or two hours and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
- Cut: If you didn't cut the squares before baking, cut the pieces with an electric knife.
- Serve: The cremsnit is best served on the day it is made, this way the pastry will still be crunchy. It is still delicious the next day, but the pastry will become rather soggy.
Notes
Puff pastry: I used already rolled puff pastry sheets about 40x24 cm/ 16x10 inches. They are to be found in the refrigerator section of the supermarket. If using frozen puff pastry, thaw it according to the package's instructions and roll it to the requested size.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 121mg | Sugar: 19g
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Heather says
I wrote this recipe on paper and missed the 3/4 c corn starch and only used 1 T... it wasn’t thickening up then I realized I missed the correct amount. I added the 3/4 c corn starch and hoped it would turn out! I had to strain out some clumps, and it ended up oozing out all over the place but was very delicious ?
Adina says
Hi Heather, I am happy you could save it. A little oozing is always involved, it is in the nature of the cake, but it is good!
Karla says
I’m so glad I found this recipe!! My dad’s family is fyy try I’m Transylvania and my grandma made this!
Adina says
I am glad you like the recipe, Karla. 🙂
Eddie says
I agree with Kimberly Guerra and Rita that there is something wrong with the proportions. The custard mixture is much too runny and liquid with 4 1/4 (1Litre) of full fat milk.
I followed everything in the instructions but instead of custard I got soup.
Adina says
Hi Eddie. It must be something else, I've made this so many times and I've always used exactly this amount of milk. The custard becomes really thick in a matter of minutes. All I can think of is for you to weigh the corn starch on a digital scale, cup measuring is treacherous and having the right amount of corn starch here is vital.
Adina says
Hi Rita, you are right, I had that one wrong. I wish I had someone to do proofreading, because no matter how much I check, mistakes can always slip through... Thank you for letting me know.
Kimberly Guerra says
Hi Adina, you still haven't made the corresponding correction(from Rita) from your recipe. I would like to know as well what the measurements are to get the recipe right. Thanks. Would like to give it a test run before it's considered for Easter.
Adina says
Hi Kimberly. Of course I did. It says 4 1/4 cups milk now, and it has been like that for a while. Or do you mean something else? I've just checked the other conversions, they are fine, however, I always recommend using a kitchen scale for best results.
John says
This looks delicious! By the way, my wife's name is also Adina. She's also Romanian and her birthday is exactly one month before yours. 🙂
Adina says
Thank you, John. Say hello to Adina from me. 🙂 🙂
Valentina | The Baking Fairy says
This looks AMAZING! I love puff pastry and the combination with the vanilla cream sounds so yummy!
Evi @ greenevi says
Oh, we used to have this in Hungary too! I absolutely hated it from a confectionery, they always tasted so artificial, but the homemade version was always my favourite <3 Yours look incredible too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I love desserts like this, you did such a beautiful job! I think puff pastry is one of my ultimate weaknesses and served with that wonderful creamy filling is just perfect.
Anca says
Happy birthday!!! xx
I think my husband would love this, he does like cremsnit. I might surprise him. 🙂
Marvellina says
I love using ready-made puff pastry because I could never really made a good one on my own ! This looks amazing! Btw, Happy belated birthday to you 🙂
grace says
this looks AMAZING! that filling alone would be a fine dessert, but to surround it with such crunchy goodness goes above and beyond! bravo. 🙂
Rosa says
Oh my goodness!! This looks and sounds divine!! Such simple ingredients, yet such an impressive dessert!! Happy birthday again and have fun in Arhus!!!
KR says
Happy birthday!!!
and cake is amazing 🙂 I love easy recipes. I imagine that (if I am really do not have time) I can replace this cream with "store" pudding 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Monica says
Happy birthday!!! I'm glad I caught that...hope you're having a very happy day! : )
And this pie...seriously, no words at all! So ridiculously wonderful looking. I love it!
Brie says
Swoon 🙂 luscious cream filling and golden puff pastry, sounds like heaven and perfect for easter. Happy Birthday, Adina! Hope your special day is filled with lots of delicious food.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
That vanilla cream filling looks sensational!