Cremeschnitte — Austrian cream slice
Cremeschnitte is the Austrian close cousin of kremna rezina and Polish kremówka: two puff pastry sheets sandwiching a thick vanilla pastry cream and whipped cream layer. It is the canonical Viennese cake-counter slice.
i. Origin & history
The cream slice tradition runs across Central Europe under variant names — same construction, slightly different proportions and details. The Austrian version is generally lighter on the whipped cream than the Slovenian.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 2 sheets puff pastry, baked
- Icing sugar to dust
- 1 litre whole milk
- 150 g sugar
- 80 g cornstarch
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 400 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
iii. Method
- Bake puff pastry sheets at 200 °C until deeply golden.
- Cook milk, sugar, cornstarch, yolks to a thick custard. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cool with cling film on surface.
- Whip cream with icing sugar to soft peaks.
- Assemble in a square frame: place one puff sheet; pour custard; cover with whipped cream; top with second puff sheet.
- Chill 4 hours. Dust top with icing sugar. Slice with a serrated knife.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Essentially identical to kremna rezina and kremówka with regional variations.
vi. Common questions
What is cremeschnitte?
Cremeschnitte is austrian cream slice, from austrian & german cuisine. It is the canonical Viennese cake-counter slice
Where is cremeschnitte from?
Cremeschnitte is from the austrian & german dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does cremeschnitte keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 2 days refrigerated.