polish cake

This Polish Cake is a combination of soft shortbread cake layers, tart jam, crunchy meringue, roasted walnuts and sandwiched with buttercream custard.

Polish Cake Recipe - Pani Walewska

sugar

tsp salt

butter, unsalted, room temperature

sour cream

tsp vanilla extract

baking powder

tsp baking soda

all-purpose flour

sugar, granulated

salt

tbsp heavy whipping cream, boiling hot

dark chocolate chips

plum butter

walnuts almonds

raspberries (optional)

milk

tbsp all-purpose flour

oz butter, unsalted, room temperature

Piping Tip

Piping Bag

parchment paper circle

Preheat oven to 350F with the baking rack in the middle. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.&nbsp;Gather all the ingredients needed for the cake.&nbsp;

In a bowl of a mixer fitted with a whip attachment combine the egg whites, sugar and salt. Whip for about&nbsp;15-20 minutes or until very shiny, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted up from the meringue.&nbsp;Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Or just use a gallon sized ziplock with a snipped end. Alternatively, you can just spoon the meringue.

Make the meringue

Make the dough: Combine the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add sour cream and smooth with a whisk again. Next, add the butter and whisk until combined. Now add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix until dough forms. Divide the dough into 2 or three.&nbsp;

Assemble the cake layers: Line a 10 inch round springform or baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper (for easier removal and cleanup). Spread 1 piece of dough per pan, into an even layer. Next, divide and spread the plum butter between the two pans.&nbsp; Pipe or spoon half the meringue on top, staying 1/3 inch away from the borders of the cake pan (the meringue will expand while baking). Sprinkle with half the walnuts.

Bake the Cake Layers:&nbsp;Bake the prepared cake layers for about 40 minutes. Check the oven at about 25-30 minutes to see if the meringue is browning too quickly if it is, tent the baking pans with a flat piece of parchment paper and continue baking for another 15 minutes.&nbsp;Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove the cake layers with the removable bottom and allow to cool completely. Be gentle as the cake layers are very fragile and crack easy.&nbsp;

Make the Pirog Cake Layers

Heat the milk in the microwave or in a medium saucepan until boiling.&nbsp;

Mix egg yolks, sugar, flour and a couple tablespoons of milk in a bowl until smooth. Add hot milk into the egg yolk mixture 1/2 a cup at a time, while whisking continuously.&nbsp;

Pour the mixture back into the sauce pot and bring to a boil, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 2-3 minutes past boiling. Remove from heat and put through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any clumps. Add vanilla and stir.&nbsp;

Allow the custard to completely cool - to speed up this process, spread the custard in a large, rimmed baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, touching the custard.&nbsp;

In a mixer bowl whip 4 oz of butter until fluffy and pale in color. Add the custard in 3-4 additions, whipping after each.&nbsp;Transfer the custard to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Custard

Combine the boiling milk with chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside.&nbsp;

Make the Ganache

Put a dab of frosting onto the serving platter or board. Carefully slide the first cake layer off the bottom of the springform on top and press to adhere.&nbsp;Pipe the Custard filling in dollops all over the top of the cake, staying about 1/3 inch away from the borders of the cake.&nbsp;Top with the second cake layer.&nbsp;Sprinkle the berries on top.&nbsp;Drizzle with the ganache.&nbsp;

Refrigerate the cake for at least 8 hours for the cake to be stable.&nbsp;

Assemble the Cake

This mountain-shaped cake with a layer of custard in between is popular all over Poland. Named after the Carpathian mountains, it&#x27;s a must-have Polish dessert!

Polish Carpathian Cake Karpatka Recipe

butter

water

eggs

tsps of potato starch (flour)

vanilla extract

powdered sugar

cocoa

In a pot, melt the butter/margarine with water.

Bring to boil, then reduce the heat.

Start adding the flour, gradually, 1 tbsp at...

Start adding the flour, gradually, 1 tbsp at a time, stirring all the time.

Cool down.

When the mixture is cold, mix it with...

When the mixture is cold, mix it with eggs until you get the smooth dough with no lumps.

Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C).

Line 2 baking sheets (14''x17'') with parchment paper.

Using a spoon, spread the dough onto the...

Using a spoon, spread the dough onto the parchment paper. It doesn't have to be smooth. Make it look like a rugged mountain.

Bake for about 30 minutes, one baking pan...

Bake for about 30 minutes, one baking pan at a time.

Pour 2 cups of milk into the pot.

Add egg yolks, sugar, and whip it together...

Add egg yolks, sugar, and whip it together until you will get a smooth, yellow color.

Pour 1 cup of milk into the small...

Add flour, potato flour, and vanilla extract. Mix...

Add flour, potato flour, and vanilla extract. Mix until dissolved.

Place a pot on the stove, cook slowly,...

Place a pot on the stove, cook slowly, stirring all the time.

When it nearly boils, add milk with flour...

When it nearly boils, add milk with flour and stir until you will get the consistency of pudding.

When the pudding is cold, blend it with...

When the pudding is cold, blend it with butter until you get the smooth and creamy custard.

Spread the creamy custard on top of one...

Spread the creamy custard on top of one of the pastry.

Cover it with the second pastry.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar or chocolate glaze.

In a pot, melt all the ingredients, except...

In a pot, melt all the ingredients, except for the egg.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg using...

In a separate bowl, beat the egg using a fork.

When the chocolate glaze is almost boiling, pour...

When the chocolate glaze is almost boiling, pour the egg, mixing all the time.

Turn off the heat.

Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake.

This Karpatka recipe is an amazing Polish Carpathian mountain cream cake that consists of two layers of choux pastry and delicious pastry cream in between. Dusted with powdered sugar, the choux pastry that puffs up unevenly in the oven represents the Carpathian mountains. It’s so delicious and decadent, with just the perfect sweetness.

Karpatka

75 ml whole milk

unsalted butter

tbsp sugar

g all-purpose flour (sifted)

170 g 3 large eggs (at room temperature, the eggs should be weighed without shells)

600 ml whole milk

cornstarch

egg eggs (at room temperature)

unsalted butter (at room temperature)

granulated sugar (to beat with the butter)

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F (top and bottom heat, no fan). Line the bottoms of two 23cm/9-inch springform pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter or cooking spray. If you have only one springform, you will need to bake one layer of the cake and then prepare the form again to bake the second layer.

In a saucepan, combine water, milk, unsalted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, then heat over medium heat until it starts simmering. Remove from the heat and add the sifted flour. Mix until no dry flour is left, bring back to the heat, and set it to low.

Cook the dough, mixing with a rubber spatula continuously for 2 minutes or until the dough forms a ball and the bottom of the saucepan is covered with white residue. Remove from the heat.

Place the dough into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Let it cool down for 10 minutes or until it’s no longer hot to touch but still very warm.

Start by adding the eggs a little at a time and mix with a hand mixer, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or even by hand using a wooden spoon, until they are fully incorporated. Then, add more eggs and repeat until all the eggs have been incorporated. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl and beat one last time for just a few seconds to ensure thorough mixing. The dough should be smooth. When you lift the paddle, it should slowly fall from it, leaving a V-shaped tail. The dough should be firm enough to hold its shape. If you achieve this texture before all the eggs have been incorporated, stop adding them. If the texture isn&#39;t there yet after you&#39;ve added all the eggs, you may need to add an extra 1/4 to 1 egg.

Split the dough into two even parts and spread unevenly between two prepared spring forms. This unevenness will create random bubbles on the surface of the cake layers during the baking, which represent the Carpathian mountains. If you’re using one spring form, cover the second part of the dough with a plastic wrap while the first part is baking.

Bake for 25-27 minutes or until reaching a deep, even golden-brown color on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down for 10 minutes before removing it from the form onto a cooling rack to cool down completely. Repeat the process if using only one spring form.

For the dough

Place milk, half of the sugar, and salt into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering.

Meanwhile, combine the second half of the sugar with the cornstarch in a heatproof mixing bowl, then add the egg yolks and vanilla. Whisk until a homogenous consistency is reached without cornstarch lumps.

When the milk start simmering, remove from the heat and slowly add approximately ½ of it to the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs. Then, pour the egg mixture back into a saucepan with the hot milk.

Cook over low heat for 5-9 minutes, whisking consistently until the mixture become pudding-like in consistency, then cook for about 2 minutes. Don’t stop whisking. If lumps appear, whisk vigorously and they will dissolve.

Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a large, shallow dish. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap so they touch each other and let it cool down to room temperature. You can place it into the fridge to speed up the process. However, if you cool it down too much, you need to bring it back to room temperature before the next step.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl), beat the butter at room temperature with 15g of sugar until white and fluffy.

Whisk the pastry cream (IMPORTANT! The pastry cream should be at room temperature at this point or it won’t mix well with the butter) until it becomes smooth again.

Then, add the pastry cream a couple of tablespoons at a time to the butter and whisk every time on medium until incorporated. Continue until all pastry cream is combined with the butter. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, then beat again for 10 seconds.

For the cream

Onto a serving plate, place the clean ring from the spring form that you used to bake the cake layers. Cover the sides inside the ring with parchment paper, if desired, as it will make it easier to release the cake after chilling.

Place the first layer (the one that is less puffed up) inside. Press slightly to make it flatter.

Place all cream on top and even it out.

Cover with the top layer and press a little bit to attach it. Then, refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until the cream has set. Remove from the ring, peal the parchment paper if used, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.

Assembling the cake

Thank you, this has been on my, “to do” list for quite some time and it came out perfect!

Hi Anna, thank you for this recipe, I made it today and it came out perfectly! 

https://imgur.com/a/rneqUqE

You describe everything really well which made it super easy to follow. I’m definitely going to make this again and when I do I think I will try adding a layer of jam, cheers!

Well, this is currently chilling in my fridge and I just can’t wait to try it. It turned out beautifully even though this was my first time making crème pat. and Choux pastry. I love trying more challenging recipes and I am certain this is going to be a show stopper!   Thank you for sharing your recipe and detailed instructions!

Made this for my parents as dessert for a special lunch.  It came out perfectly.  Just like yours in the photo. Their faces were precious at the first bite. The prep work the day before was totally worth it.  Not everything in life has to be rushed, sometimes slow living and slow cooking is needed to balance things out.

this was super delicious, i made it for my family and wasnt planning to have more than a slice for myself but ended up eating more than anyone else haha. the only thing is, the mousseline/cream filling had a bit of a grainy texture after i chilled it (it was perfectly smooth and creamy after i mixed in the butter so i know i did that bit right), is that supposed to happen? if theres anything that i can do to prevent that id be over the moon, because thats the only thing from keeping it from being the best dessert ever

I have made your recipe for Carpatka Cake twice and received so many compliments on how beautiful it looks and so delicious. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.

I made this spectacular cake yesterday. Im a custard lover and this is possibly the most amazing cake I’ve ever eaten and made. I’m not a baker by any means and i was very intimated. But it turned out PERFECT and i am so very proud of myself! Thank you Ana for this perfect recipe, easy to follow, basic/not expensive ingredients and detailed instructions. I was worried about my pastry as it was a lot runnier than yours in the video, and I wasn’t sure if adding more eggs would’ve made it runnier, so i baked it as it was (for 32mins to try get it to your brown) and to my surprise both layers made ‘mountain peaks’. I will also never buy custard again, this was the most decadent almost white-chocolatey flavoured custard and i will be sure to make this as a dessert on its own. I wish i could show you a photo of my Karpatka.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv4CzVekgFE

This Karpatka recipe is an amazing Polish Carpathian mountain cream cake that consists of two layers of choux pastry and delicious pastry cream in between. Dusted with powdered sugar, the choux pastry that puffs up unevenly in the oven represents the Carpathian mountains. It’s so delicious and decadent, with just the perfect sweetness.

Ingredients

For the dough

* 75 ml whole milk
* 75 ml water
* 75 g unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
* 100 g all-purpose flour sifted
* 170 g 3 large eggs at room temperature

For the cream

* 500 ml whole milk
* 130 g granulated sugar
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 40 g cornstarch sifted
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 egg yolks of large eggs at room temperature
* 200 g unsalted butter at room temperature
* 15 g granulated sugar to beat with the butter
* Powdered sugar for decoration


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Karpatka | How to make Polish cream puff cake

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Polish Cake Recipe - Pani Walewska

Polish Carpathian Cake Karpatka Rec...

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Top 3 polish cake recipes from across the web

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Polish Cake Recipe - Pani Walewska

Polish Carpathian Cake Karpatka Rec...

Karpatka

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