Puff Pastry Cake with Berries
A simple puff pastry cake with berries and cream. Crisp pastry layers, a soft filling, and a cake that looks good and tastes amazing without much effort.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 544kcal
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Rubber spatula
- Electric carving knife optional but recommended
Ingredients
- 1 lb mixed frozen berries for the filling, Note 1
- 5.5 oz mixed berries for topping the cake
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet of puff pastry sheets about 1 lb/ 500 g, or 3 sheets round puff pastry (ca 9.5 inches/ 24 cm), fresh or frozen
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 packets Dr. Oetker cream stabilizer optional, Note 2
- confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Cook the berry filling:
- Cook berries: Place frozen berries in a medium pan, add the sugar, mix well, and bring to a light simmer. Let them simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture has the consistency of a thick applesauce. 1 lb mixed frozen berries + ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Cool: Set the berries aside to cool completely.
Prepare the puff pastry:
- Preheat a fan oven to 360°F / 180°C. A fan oven is ideal because it lets you bake all three puff pastry circles at once. If you’re using a standard oven, you may need to bake them one at a time - in this case, preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Cut the pastry: Take the puff pastry out of the fridge. If frozen, let it stand for 10 minutes or until soft enough to handle it; otherwise, you can start right away. Cut two circles about 9.5 inches / 24 cm in diameter. Roll the remaining pastry scraps together and cut the third circle. 1 packet of puff pastry sheets
- Tip: I had two pastry sheets. I cut one circle from each and then use the rests to roll and cut a less pretty-looking third circle. I used the bottom of a 9.5-inch springform pan, but a plate of a similar size works too.
- Bake puff pastry: Place each pastry circle on a baking tray lined with baking paper and prick all over with a fork to prevent them from puffing too much. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden. If the pastry puffs up unevenly, press down the risen parts after it cools. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the cream filling:
- Whip heavy cream: When the pastry is cold, whip the heavy cream and add the cream stabilizer or cornstarch mixture according to the instructions. 2 cups heavy cream + optional 2 packets Dr. Oetker cream stabilizer
- Add berries: Fold in the cooled berry puree, taste, and add a little icing sugar if needed.
Assemble the cake:
- Layer the cake: Place one puff pastry circle on a serving plate and spread one-third of the cream-berry mixture on top. Repeat with the remaining circles and cream. Finish by topping with fresh berries and dusting lightly with confectioners' sugar just before serving.5.5 oz mixed berries + confectioners' sugar
- Serve puff pastry cake: Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Berries: Frozen berries are perfect for the filling, while fresh berries make a nicer topping. If fresh berries aren’t available, thaw frozen berries on kitchen paper to remove excess water before placing them on the cake.
- Cream stabilizer: Depending on the cream you use, a stabilizer may not be necessary. In that case, whip the cream just until firm. If you want to stabilize it, mix 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar with 2 teaspoons cornstarch and add it while whipping, as described in the recipe.
- Cutting the cake: For clean slices, an electric knife works best. A good serrated knife also works, though the cuts may be less neat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 141mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g