This recipe details how to create “Vanilla Custard Puff Pastry Squares,” a delightful and elegant dessert that combines flaky, golden-brown puff pastry with a rich, creamy vanilla custard filling. The image prominently features a rectangular baking dish filled with several perfectly baked squares, each showing distinct layers of crisp pastry encasing a generous amount of pale yellow custard. A dusting of powdered sugar adds a delicate finish. This dessert offers a wonderful contrast in textures – the airy crunch of the pastry and the smooth, soft creaminess of the custard, making it a sophisticated yet relatively simple treat ideal for brunches, desserts, or a coffee break.
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets (approximately 17.3 ounces or 490g total) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2 cups (approximately 480ml) prepared vanilla custard (store-bought or homemade, see notes for homemade recipe)
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting
Equipment:
- Baking sheet(s)
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife or pastry wheel
- Small bowl for egg wash
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups
- Whisk (if making homemade custard)
- Large mixing bowl (if making homemade custard)
- Fine-mesh sieve (if making homemade custard for extra smoothness)
- 9×13 inch baking dish (or similar size if arranging pre-cut squares)
Instructions:
Part 1: Prepare the Puff Pastry
- Thaw Puff Pastry: Ensure the frozen puff pastry sheets are properly thawed according to package instructions. This usually involves thawing them in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes until pliable but still cold.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you plan to bake the pastry and then cut, you might only need one. If you’re cutting before baking, you might need two depending on size.
- Roll Out Pastry (Optional): Gently unfold each puff pastry sheet. If they are not perfectly square or rectangular, you can lightly roll them out with a rolling pin to a consistent thickness and shape. Aim for about a 10×10 inch or 9×12 inch rectangle per sheet.
- Cut Pastry: Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6-9 equal squares or rectangles, depending on your desired size. For a standard 9×13 inch baking dish like the one shown, aim for sizes that will fit neatly side-by-side (e.g., 6 large rectangles from two sheets for a total of 12 pastries, or 4 from each sheet, for 8 total, for a larger individual size). The image shows 6 in a 9×13 inch dish, suggesting larger squares.
Part 2: Prepare the Vanilla Custard (If Homemade)
If using store-bought custard, skip this section and proceed to Part 3.
- Ingredients for Homemade Vanilla Custard:
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, gently heat the milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.
- Whisk Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth and pale.
- Temper Eggs: Slowly pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while continuously whisking. This “tempers” the egg yolks and prevents them from scrambling.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Return to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the custard thickens significantly and comes to a gentle boil, about 3-5 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add Butter and Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Strain (Optional): For an extra smooth custard, press it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
- Cool: Cover the surface of the custard directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and let it cool completely in the refrigerator before using.
Part 3: Assemble and Bake the Pastries
- Spoon Custard onto Pastry: Lay the puff pastry squares on the prepared baking sheet(s). Spoon a generous amount (about ¼ to ½ cup, depending on pastry size) of the cooled vanilla custard onto the center of half of your pastry squares. Leave a border around the edges.
- Top with Pastry (Optional – for turnovers): If you desire a “turnover” style pastry where the custard is enclosed, take the remaining pastry squares and place them on top of the custard-filled squares. Gently press the edges together to seal, you can use a fork to crimp the edges if desired. The image, however, shows open-faced squares, meaning you would typically place the custard in the center of an un-topped square or create a well as described in the next step.
- Form Squares (for open-faced): For the style shown in the image, place the cut pastry squares onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, score a border about ½ inch from the edge of each square, being careful not to cut all the way through the pastry. This creates a “frame” that will puff up around the custard. Then, fill the center well with the cooled custard.
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg for an egg wash. Lightly brush the exposed puff pastry (the scored edges for open-faced, or the entire top for enclosed) with the egg wash. This will give them a beautiful golden-brown color.
- Arrange in Baking Dish (Optional): If you want them to bake into a cohesive block like in the image, arrange the pastries snugly in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Otherwise, bake them individually on a baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the puff pastry is deeply golden brown, puffed, and crisp, and the custard is set and slightly browned around the edges. The visual in the image confirms the golden-brown color.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool slightly in the baking dish or on a wire rack.
Part 4: Finish and Serve
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once slightly cooled, lightly dust the vanilla custard puff pastry squares with powdered sugar just before serving.
- Serve: These pastries are best served warm or at room temperature. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert.
Tips for Success:
- Keep Pastry Cold: Puff pastry works best when kept cold. If it becomes too warm and soft while working with it, place it back in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- Don’t Overfill: Be careful not to overfill the pastry with custard, especially for enclosed turnovers, as it can leak out during baking.
- Homemade vs. Store-Bought Custard: While homemade custard offers superior flavor, store-bought vanilla custard or even a good quality instant vanilla pudding (prepared with less liquid for a thicker consistency, similar to what might be used in Strawberry Banana Pudding) can be used for convenience.
- Flaky Pastry: The layered nature of puff pastry is what gives these squares their characteristic flakiness. Other doughs like choux pastry are used for eclairs, creating a different texture.
- Variations:
- Lemon Custard: Substitute homemade lemon curd for the vanilla custard for a tangy twist, similar to the filling in Lemon Squares.
- Fruit Topping: After baking and cooling, top with fresh berries (like strawberries similar to Strawberry Banana Pudding) or a fruit compote for added flavor and visual appeal.
- Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle with melted chocolate for extra indulgence, similar to the richness of a chocolate cake or fudge.
- Storage: Store any leftover vanilla custard puff pastry squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat gently in a toaster oven or regular oven for best results to restore crispness.
- Similar Desserts: These pastries are related to other filled pastry desserts like turnovers, danishes, or even certain types of cream-filled cakes (like Sponge Cake). The concept of a layered, baked dessert with a creamy filling is also seen in items like Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes or Peach Cobbler, though the base doughs and preparation methods differ significantly.
- Puff Pastry Usage: Puff pastry is incredibly versatile and can be used for both sweet and savory applications, from these custard squares to savory turnovers or even as a topping for pot pies. The image of “puff pastry in oven” shows the characteristic rise and flakiness achieved during baking.