Maple Karpatka
Resembling the snow-kissed peaks of Poland’s Carpathian Mountains, the Polish cream cake named karpatka utilizes layers of delicate pastry to sandwich a cream filling. In our maple-infused rendition, we loaded lighter-than-air choux pastry with a buttery maple-packed pastry cream, highlighting rich undertones of maple flavor and dark brown sugar.
Maple Karpatka
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (127 grams) unsalted butter*½ cup (120 grams) water½ cup (120 grams) whole milk2 teaspoons (8 grams) granulated sugar½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt1¼ cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour5 large eggs (250 grams), room temperature1 large egg white (30 grams), room temperatureMaple Mousseline (recipe follows)Garnish: maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray 2 (13×9-inch) baking pans with cooking spray. (See Note.) Line pans with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pans.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add ½ cup (120 grams) water, milk, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until a skin forms on bottom of pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at low speed until dough is just warm to the touch, about 1 minute. Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 1½ cups or 362 grams each).
Bake, one batch at a time, until fully puffed and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Spread Maple Mousseline on 1 pastry in an even layer. Top with remaining pastry, and refrigerate until mousseline is set, about 1 hour. Garnish with maple syrup, if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served same day.
Notes
*We used Kerrygold.
Note: If you have only 1 (13×9-inch) baking pan, spread half of the batter in your prepared pan and cover the remaining batter with plastic wrap while the first half bakes. Once your pan is completely cool, repeat procedure with remaining batter.
Maple Mousseline
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
3 cups (720 grams) whole milk½ cup (100 grams) maple sugar½ teaspoon (2 grams) maple extract8 large egg yolks (149 grams)½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (56 grams) cornstarch¼ teaspoon kosher salt¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened2 cups (454 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (see Note)
Instructions
In a large saucepan, whisk together milk, maple sugar, and maple extract. Heat over medium heat until steaming. (Do not boil.)
In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add warm milk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and boiling, 4 to 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Stir in softened butter in two additions. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer registers 65°F (18°C) to 70°F (21°C), 2½ to 3 hours.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat room temperature butter at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Whisk pastry cream until smooth. (At this point, room temperature butter and pastry cream should be same temperature.) With mixer on low speed, slowly add pastry cream to butter, beating until combined after each addition (see Notes) and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Use immediately.
Notes
Notes: Unlike softened butter, room temperature butter should provide no resistance when pressed with a finger. At this point, the butter is soft enough to easily incorporate into your pastry cream.
If your mousseline starts to look separated and broken, wrapping your mixer bowl with warm towels will warm up your butter and help with the emulsification.
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