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Karpatka Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 146 reviews

Karpatka is a traditional Polish dessert featuring layers of light, airy choux pastry filled with a luscious vanilla crème mousseline. The recipe involves baking two choux pastry layers that resemble the Carpathian Mountains, filled with a smooth custard made from crème pâtissière enriched with butter. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, this cake offers a delightful combination of creamy texture and tender pastry perfect for an elegant yet comforting treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Crème Pâtissière (Custard Filling)

  • 2 ½ cups milk
  • 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 50 grams (5 tablespoons) cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Pâte à Choux (Choux Pastry)

  • ¾ cup water
  • 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 95 grams (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs

Crème Mousseline (Finishing Custard)

  • 200 grams (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 25 grams (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar

Additional

  • Butter (for greasing pans)
  • Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Crème Pâtissière: In a saucepan, combine milk, half the sugar, and salt; heat over medium until simmering but not boiling. In a heatproof bowl, whisk remaining sugar with cornstarch, then add egg yolks until smooth. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking in about ½ cup hot milk, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan with remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously for 5 to 9 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla, transfer to a shallow container, cover with plastic wrap pressed on surface, and cool to room temperature.
  2. Make Pâte à Choux: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter two 9-inch springform pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, heat water, butter, and salt over medium until butter melts. Remove from heat and stir in flour all at once. Return to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until dough forms a ball and leaves a white film on the pan bottom (approx. 5-10 minutes). Transfer dough to a mixer bowl and cool 10 minutes until warm. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy, falling from paddle in a “V” shape.
  3. Bake Choux Layers: Divide dough evenly between prepared pans, spreading tops unevenly to create peaks and divots mimicking mountains. Bake 24 to 28 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks. If baking one pan at a time, repeat process for second layer.
  4. Prepare Crème Mousseline: Ensure butter and custard are both at room temperature (70-75°F). Beat butter and sugar in a mixer with a whisk attachment until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Loosen custard by whisking gently, then gradually add to butter mixture in several spoonfuls while mixing on medium-low speed. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap pressed on surface and keep at room temperature until assembly.
  5. Assemble Cake: Place a clean springform ring on a serving plate and optionally line inside with parchment paper strip. Set one choux layer inside ring, spread custard evenly over it, then top with second choux layer. Chill in refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours to set filling.
  6. Serve: Remove springform ring and parchment paper. Dust cake with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Use a digital thermometer to ensure butter and custard are at the same temperature for optimal crème mousseline texture.
  • If only one springform pan is available, bake choux pastry layers one at a time.
  • Press plastic wrap on custard surfaces to prevent skin formation during cooling.
  • Allow the cake to chill for at least 1 hour for the filling to set properly; up to 3 hours is ideal.
  • Uneven spreading of the choux dough creates the characteristic mountain-like appearance of the Karpatka.

Keywords: Karpatka, Polish dessert, choux pastry, creme mousseline, custard cake, traditional Polish cake, vanilla custard cake

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/karpatka-recipe/