Serbian Custard Slice Recipe - Krem Pita

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 11/29/21
Serbian Custard Slice with Coffee

ffolas / Getty Images

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 9 servings

This recipe for Serbian custard slices or krem pita traditionally is made with scratch puff pastry, but using the store-bought kind is perfectly acceptable. The trick is in preventing the pastry from puffing up too much and still be flaky. If you're a stickler for tradition, take comfort in the cooked custard filling.

The Serbian word pita means "pastry dough" and has nothing to do with Middle Eastern flatbreads. Krem means "cream." This dessert can be made with two or three layers of pastry.​

Freeze leftover egg whites and save for leftover egg white recipes or sampita.

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (1 pound)

  • 6 large egg yolks

  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons instant flour

  • 1 1/2 cups milk

  • 2 packages unflavored gelatin

  • 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

  • 1 quart heavy cream, whipped with the vanilla sugar

  • Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat oven to 400 F. Roll out each piece of puff pastry slightly to blend the seam lines. Without cutting all the way through, lightly score each pastry sheet into 9 sections. Sandwich each puff pastry sheet between two pieces of parchment paper and two cooling racks. This will keep the pastry flat but still flaky.

  2. Bake 15 minutes, remove top rack and top sheet of parchment paper. Replace rack and continue to bake until golden and crispy throughout, about 15 more minutes. Cool completely.

  3. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemon colored. Add the instant flour and milk, mixing well. Transfer to the top of a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly until custard thickens slightly.

  4. Remove from heat. Dissolve gelatin completely in 1/2 cup cold water. Stir into hot custard until completely dissolved.

  5. Cool the custard in an ice bath, stirring occasionally. If, for some reason, the custard has lumps (from being cooked at too high a temperature or undissolved gelatin), strain it through a sieve.

  6. When the custard is cool and very thick but not yet set, fold in the sweetened whipped cream. Layer over 1 sheet of baked puff pastry and top with a second sheet. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. For easier slicing, use a damp serrated knife. Cut into rectangles. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
834 Calories
62g Fat
53g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9
Amount per serving
Calories 834
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 62g 80%
Saturated Fat 29g 145%
Cholesterol 268mg 89%
Sodium 236mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 149mg 11%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 240mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)