Easy Puff Pastry Dessert with Vanilla Custard
This easy puff pastry dessert, layered with smooth vanilla custard, is a comforting and versatile treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Puff Pastry
- 2 sheets butter puff pastry, frozen flaky texture
For the Vanilla Custard
- 110 g caster sugar adds sweetness
- 50 g corn starch thickens the custard
- 8 large egg yolks provides richness
- 750 g whole milk, warmed creamy base
- 14 g vanilla bean paste flavor enhancer
- 125 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed adds richness and creaminess
- 50 g powdered sugar to dust, finishing touch
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven while you work with the puff pastry.
- Take the frozen sheets of butter puff pastry out of the freezer and gently roll them out to ensure they are even and slightly larger than your intended dessert dimensions.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the rolled pastry on it. Use a fork to poke small holes in the surface of the pastry to prevent excessive puffing.
Baking the Pastry
- Bake the pastry according to standard puff pastry instructions until golden brown and crisp.
Preparing the Custard
- Warm the whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the caster sugar and corn starch. Whisk them together.
- Gently add the egg yolks to the sugar and cornstarch mixture, whisking until smooth.
- Slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously.
- Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste and chilled cubed butter.
Assembling the Dessert
- Allow the baked puff pastry to cool slightly.
- Spoon the vanilla custard over the cooled pastry, spreading it evenly.
- Dust the top of the custard with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
Keep the puff pastry chilled until you’re ready to bake. For best results, whisk the custard consistently while cooking, and warm the milk gently to avoid curdling.