Belgian Crèmekoeken (Custard Filled Pastries)
Belgian crèmekoeken made with buttery laminated croissant dough, baked until deeply golden, split and filled generously with homemade vanilla pastry cream. Finish with powdered sugar or Belgian chocolate.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheets
- Pastry brush
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Piping bag
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
Croissant dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 160 g whole milk lukewarm
- 120 g water
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 470 g all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 9 g salt
- 30 g butter room temperature
Butter block
- 250 g butter cold
Egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Vanilla pastry cream
- 720 g whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 45 g cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 65 g butter
Chocolate topping
- 230 g Belgian milk or dark chocolate, I use Callebaut
- 30 g butter
- powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
Make the croissant dough
- In a large bowl, combine the milk, water, yeast and sugar. If using active dry yeast, leave it for 5-10 minutes until frothy. If using instant yeast, continue straight away. 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast , 160 g whole milk, 120 g water, 50 g granulated sugar
- Add the flour and salt and mix until a rough dough forms. 470 g all-purpose flour, 9 g salt
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes to begin developing the gluten. Add the 30 g room-temperature butter and continue kneading until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also do this all in a stand mixer. 30 g butter
- Shape the dough into a rough rectangle, wrap well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the butter block and laminate
- Cut the butter into 4 even slices and arrange them together in a rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound the butter with a rolling pin until the pieces join together, then roll it into an 8 x 6 inch (20 x 15 cm) rectangle, about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. You can fold the parchment paper around the butter to create neat edges and help guide it into shape. Chill until cold. 250 g butter
- Before laminating, beat and roll the chilled butter block in its parchment until it is pliable and can bend without cracking. It should stay cold.
- Take the chilled dough from the fridge and roll it into a rectangle roughly twice the width of the butter block.
- Place the butter block in the centre. Fold the sides of the dough over to completely encase the butter and pinch the edges to seal. Use a sharp knife to make a small slit along both folded side edges to release tension.
- Turn the dough so the seam runs vertically in front of you. Roll it out into a long rectangle about 1/4 inch (7 to 8 mm) thick. Don’t worry too much about the width here. Focus mainly on lengthening the dough evenly. Trim the edges to make it even and brush away any excess flour.Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling and letter fold 2 more times, chilling for 30 minutes between each fold. Each time, roll mainly lengthwise until the dough is around 1/4 inch (7 to 8 mm) thick, rather than trying to reach an exact length or width.After the third fold, wrap the dough well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight before shaping.
Make the pastry cream
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla over medium heat until just at a simmer. Do not let it boil. 720 g whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- While the milk heats, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a separate bowl until smooth. 6 large egg yolks, 100 g granulated sugar, 45 g cornstarch, 1 pinch salt
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream while whisking constantly.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and begins to bubble. Once bubbling, keep it at a bubble and whisk continuously for 1 full minute.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until completely combined. Pour into a clean shallow bowl or container. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let it cool, then refrigerate until completely cold. Whisk briefly before piping to loosen it again. 65 g butter
Shape, proof and bake
- After the final chill, roll the laminated dough to about 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm), around 1/5 inch (5 mm) thick.
- Trim the edges if needed, then cut the dough into twelve 4 x 4 inch (10 x 10 cm) squares. Arrange them on parchment-lined baking sheets with space between them.
- Cover loosely and proof at room temperature for around 2-5 hours, until noticeably puffy and light. When the tray is gently shaken, the dough should jiggle slightly. Keep the proofing temperature below 79°F (26°C) so the butter does not melt. If your kitchen is dry, try to proof them somewhere a bit more humid so the surface of the dough does not dry out. You can place the tray in a turned-off oven or microwave with a mug of hot water nearby, but not directly underneath the tray, as this can make it too warm and cause the butter to melt, or cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush a thin layer over the tops, avoiding the cut edges. 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Bake until deeply golden and crisp, around 20-25 minutes, rotating the trays if needed. The undersides should be well browned and the pastries should feel crisp and sturdy. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Fill and finish
- Once completely cool, use a serrated knife to split each pastry horizontally through the middle.
- Transfer the cold pastry cream to a piping bag and pipe a generous layer over each pastry bottom. Replace the tops.
- Finish with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, or melt Belgian milk or dark chocolate with butter and spread or dip it over the pastry tops. Let the chocolate set before serving.
Notes
For a half batch: Use half the laminated croissant dough and half the pastry cream. Roll the dough to about 8 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm) and cut into six 4 x 4 inch (10 x 10 cm) squares.
Butter: A good-quality butter with around 82% fat is ideal for lamination.
Keep the dough cold: If the butter begins to soften during rolling, chill the dough before continuing.
Pastry cream: Once it begins bubbling, cook it for a full minute while whisking so the starch sets properly.
Storage: Filled crèmekoeken should be refrigerated and are best eaten within 1-2 days. For the crispest pastry, keep the baked pastry and pastry cream separate and fill shortly before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pastryCalories: 614kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 10gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 539mgPotassium: 252mgFiber: 3gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1045IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 3mg
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