Kremówka

Kremówka — the Polish cream slice, also known as the papal cream cake — is the dessert that made Polish pastry famous: two layers of crisp puff pastry sandwiching a cloud of vanilla custard, dusted with a heavy snowfall of powdered sugar. It is the cake Pope John Paul II loved as a young man in Wadowice, and the town’s bakery still sells ‘kremówki papieskie’ by the thousands. Simple, generous, and glorious.

Why this recipe works: The structure is pure contrast: shatteringly crisp puff pastry sheets and a thick, silky vanilla custard that holds its shape when sliced. The custard — milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch — is cooked until thick, then spread generously between the pastry layers. Chilled until firm, the slice cuts cleanly into neat, cream-filled rectangles dusted with powdered sugar.

Key ingredients

• Puff pastry: two sheets, baked until crisp and golden.
• Milk, egg yolks, and sugar: the custard.
• Cornstarch: the thickener — a little butter for richness.
• Vanilla: the perfume.
• Powdered sugar: the essential, generous finish.

Tips for the perfect kremówka

Bake the pastry sheets until deeply golden and fully crisp, then cool completely. Cook the custard until thick — it should hold its shape on a spoon — and whisk in a knob of butter off the heat for richness. Cool the custard completely before spreading, or it will soften the pastry. Assemble, chill for at least 4 hours, then slice with a serrated knife and dust each slice with powdered sugar. The classic Polish touch: a layer of whipped cream or a splash of spirit in the custard.

Variations and storage

Add a layer of fruit or a spoonful of rum to the custard. Kremówka keeps 2 days in the fridge, covered — the pastry softens gradually, which some consider an improvement. Best served chilled.

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