Strawberry-Cream-Pie Cake

Strawberry-Cream-Pie Cake
Photo: Johnny Miller
Prep Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 day 4 hrs
Servings:
10

If eating pie leaves you yearning for more crust, here's your dream dessert: Flaky, golden-brown pate brisee disks are layered with jam, then pastry cream that has whipped cream and sliced strawberries folded in, and stacked four-deep. Making the disks is easy—just roll out the dough into rounds (no need to fit it into pie plates or crimp edges), sprinkle them with sugar, and bake. The whole thing is chilled overnight like an icebox wafer cake, for easier slicing.

Ingredients

Pastry Layers

Filling

  • cup granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Pinch of coarse salt

  • 1 ½ cups whole milk

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • cup heavy cream

  • 8 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-inch slices (2 cups), plus more, quartered, for serving

  • ¾ cup strawberry jam

  • Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

  1. Pastry layers: Preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of pastry dough into a 9-inch round, slightly less than 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing 1 or 2 rounds on each sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

  2. Filling: Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a bowl, then add to pan along with butter. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook 1 minute, whisking, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

  3. Whisk heavy cream to stiff peaks. Whisk pastry cream to loosen. Fold in whipped cream, then berries.

  4. Spread 1/4 cup jam on a pastry layer. Top with one-third of pastry-cream mixture (about 1 1/4 cups), then a second pastry layer. Repeat with remaining jam, cream mixture, and pastry, ending with pastry. Drape with plastic wrap and refrigerate, at least overnight and up to 2 days. Serve, topped with whipped cream and more berries.

Cook's Notes

A long serrated knife works best for slicing this dessert.

Related Articles