Krempita, Kremschnitte or Kremsnita Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 550g/3 sheets butter puff pastry
• 670ml/23.6flozs whole milk
• 4 eggs, large
• 200g/7ozs caster or superfine sugar, divided in equal halves
• 80g/2.8ozs cornflour/fine cornstarch
• 70g/2.5ozs plain all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs water
• 2 tablespoons/20g/ gelatine powder
• 2 cups/500ml/0.8pint thickened or pure cream
• 80g/2.8ozs caster or superfine sugar
• 1 tablespoon icing or powdered sugar to finish

 DIRECTIONS

Step 1 – You will need a 20x20x10cm or 8x8x4inch square tin with very high sides for this. Preheat oven to 180C/350F fan forced and line two trays with parchment. Place on square of puff pastry on one tray and dock all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 2 –Then with the other 2 sheets of puff pastry, place one on top of another and place the square baking tin on top and score to fit the tin and trim excess pastry off. Cut the pastry into 16 equal sized squares but not cutting all the way through (they should be 5x5cm or 2.5×2.5inches each) and keep in the fridge until needed. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Step 3 –Line the baking tin well using parchment that overhangs (to make it easier to lift out of the tin). Cut the single sheet of pastry to fit the baking tin and place in the bottom of the tin.

Step 4a Conventional – Separate the eggs making sure that there is no yolk in the whites at all. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk until you get soft peaks. Add half of the sugar in a thin stream and whisk until you get a thick, glossy meringue and you can tip the bowl upside down without it moving. Set aside.

Step 4b Thermomix- Separate the eggs making sure that there is no yolk in the whites at all. Place the egg whites in a very clean Thermomix bowl with a butterfly whisk attachment and set to 4 minutes, 37C, speed 3.5. Remove the MC and set to 4 mins, 37C, speed 3 and gradually pour in half of the sugar. Watch to see that it has become shiny and glossy. Scoop out and set aside.

Step 5a Conventional – Whisk the yolks, the remaining half of the sugar, two types of flour and 1/2 cup (125ml/4flozs) of the milk and vanilla together in a bowl or jug until smooth. Place the remaining milk in a medium saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Turn down the heat on the milk to low and whisk in one ladle of the hot milk into the yolk mixture and add one more ladle of milk and whisk in to temper the yolks. Then slowly add the yolk mixture to the milk mixture stirring well to prevent it catching. It should thicken up gradually.

Step 5b Thermomix – Place the yolks, the remaining half of the sugar, two types of flour, milk and vanilla into the Thermomix bowl and set to 9 minutes, 90C, speed #4.

Step 6 –In a wide soup bowl place the water and sprinkle with the gelatine powder making sure to evenly distribute it across the surface of the water. The top should wrinkle and swell.

Step 7 –When the custard is thick and ready turn off the heat. Place the gelatine bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds on high or until it becomes liquid. Whisk in the gelatine mixture to the custard while both are hot-they need to be the same temperature, otherwise lumps will form. Thermomix-add gelatine to the bowl of custard and set to 15 seconds, speed #4. Then while everything is still hot add this custard to a large bowl and add a dollop of the reserved meringue and fold to combine. Gradually add more meringue until you get a light, cohesive mixture without any streaks at all. Scoop into the tin on top of the pastry and smooth over with an angled spatula until smooth. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Step 8a Conventional – Place a mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 minutes. Add the cream and the sugar to the bowl and whisk until you get thick, whipped cream.

Step 8b Thermomix – Place the TM bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. Insert the butterfly whisk and add the cream and sugar. Set to speed #4 for 1 minute but remove the MC and watch for when the cream is thick and whipped. Stop it as soon as you can see that the cream is whipped thick enough.

Step 9 –Spoon the cream on top of the set custard. Remove the custard and pastry from the tin using the parchment to grip and then discard the parchment. Then take the pastry squares and cut them to separate them. Place them on top of the cream and sift icing sugar on top. Cut into squares using a sharp chef’s knife.