I made this beautiful dessert at the height of the cherry
season. I gave the pan away and kept 3 slices. When I handed Jim the last slice
I regretted not keeping one more for myself. Make it from fresh ingredients or from
convenience products, either way the result will be an outstanding cream slice.
The one thing I believe is essential is to make the cherry pie filling from scratch.
Use fresh, frozen or canned pitted cherries. If you have to buy canned cherries
2 cans will suffice. One could always resort to commercial cherry pie filling,
but the fake flavour and colour would in my opinion spoil the slice. Prepare
the first three ingredients and let them cool down to room temperature or prepare
them a day ahead. The cream should be whipped just before assembly. These
slices are simpler to make than they appear.
CHERRY CREAM SLICE
1 batch of Hungarian Flaky Pastry
1 batch of Cherry Pie Filling
1 batch of Vanilla Bean Pudding
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbsp icing sugar
icing sugar for dusting
Or
1 pkg of frozen puff pastry thawed overnight in the fridge
2 cups of homemade cherry pie filling
1 pkg of cooked vanilla cream pie filling
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
2 Tbsp icing sugar
icing sugar for dusting
- Bake two pastry sheets in a 9X12 baking pan.
- Cut the first sheet while still hot into 18 squares and set them aside. These will go on the top.
- Bake the second sheet and leave this in the pan. This will be the bottom. Follow the recipe, click on the link, or follow the instructions on the package if using commercial puff pastry. Remember not to stretch the puff pastry and roll it larger than the baking pan. Commercial puff pastry shrinks a lot during baking.
- Next prepare the cherry pie filling. Click on the link for the recipe.
- Make a batch of vanilla bean pudding, click on the link, or follow package instructions. Cooked cream pie filling is better, but if using instant pudding mix, reduce milk in the recipe by 1/3.
- When everything has cooled to room temperature, spread the cherry pie filling on the bottom pastry.
- Spread the vanilla pudding over the cherry.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks, add 2 Tbsp icing sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over the vanilla layer and arrange the pastry squares on the top, pressing down on them lightly.
- Chill the pan for a couple of hours and dust the top with icing sugar before serving.
