Cream slice — also known as cremeschnitte, cremeș or krempita — is a beloved dessert in many European countries and beyond. No matter what it’s called, the essence of the dessert is the same: a sturdy, sliceable vanilla custard sandwiched between flaky puff pastry layers. Occasionally, you’ll also find the custard paired with a layer of sweetened whipped cream. In this version, a rich salted caramel flavors the custard while candied pecans bring an inviting crunch to contrast with the golden flaky pastry. With a bit of planning and a solid mise-en-place (measuring your ingredients before diving into the first step), this satisfying baking project is highly achievable and will reward you with a memorable centerpiece to complete a festive meal.

Time: 6 hr 45 min

Yield: 9 to 12 servings

FOR THE PASTRY AND CANDIED PECANS:

1 (14- to 17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge overnight

1 cup/110 grams pecan halves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon powdered sugar, for dusting

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL CUSTARD:

14 tablespoons/197 grams unsalted butter, cold (see Tip), cut into 1-tablespoon cubes

6 large/107 grams egg yolks

2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup/63 grams cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups/457 grams heavy cream, lukewarm, divided

2 cups/484 grams whole milk

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Remove the thawed puff pastry from its package. If the pastry comes in a single sheet, divide into two smaller ones. (If your sheets are thicker than 1/4 inch, use a rolling pin to flatten them until they are just under 1/4-inch-thick.) Don’t worry about the uneven edges; the pastry will get trimmed later.

2. Place the pastry sheets on a large sheet pan, cutting the pastry as necessary to fit. Using a fork, poke holes all over their surface. Bake for 10 minutes, press down with a spatula to deflate the pastry, then continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottom of the pastry develops a deep golden-brown color. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

3. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil with an overhang on all sides in order to allow lifting out the dessert later. With a serrated knife, trim one of the pastries until it fits into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pastry in the pan. Set the other pastry sheet aside, along with any pastry trimmings.

4. Line a heatproof tray or plate with parchment paper. To a small saucepan, add the pecans, butter, granulated sugar and salt. Place over medium heat and stir frequently, until the pecans are fragrant and coated in a thin sugar glaze, 3 to 4 minutes. When the sugar starts to smoke in the final stages of cooking, reduce the heat as needed. Dump the pecans onto the prepared tray. Arrange in an even layer and set aside to cool. Once cooled, break or chop the candied pecans into bite-sized pieces. (The pecans can be made up to 1 week in advance; store at room temperature in an airtight container.)

5. Place the cubed butter in the freezer to chill. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cornstarch, salt and 1/2 cup of heavy cream until smooth. (Set the remaining cream and the milk nearby.)

6. To a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar starts to brown around the sides of the pan, 2 to 4 minutes, then stir the sugar until it’s completely liquid, amber in color (like maple syrup) and wisps of smoke start to come out of the pan, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

7. Carefully pour in the milk and remaining cream. The sugar will instantly harden. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring the sticky sugar blob in the liquid to dissolve most of it, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. While constantly whisking the yolk mixture, slowly pour in 1 cup of the hot caramel mixture in a steady stream. While constantly whisking, pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.

8. Raise the heat to medium. Vigorously and constantly stir the mixture, gently raising the heat if needed, until the custard starts to thicken, about 4 minutes. (It will feel like nothing is happening, then the mixture will start to develop a thick, paste-like consistency.) Once the custard starts to bubble, cook for 1 minute, then immediately remove from the heat.

9. Add all of the cubed frozen butter to the hot custard and vigorously whisk to combine. The butter will melt as you whisk. If there are any lumps in the custard, you can remove them by pouring the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

10. Pour the custard into the prepared pan, over the pastry. Break the reserved baked puff pastry sheet into smaller pieces, then crumble it over the custard in small, fine, crumbs until an even layer covers the custard. Depending on the size of your pastry, you might be left with some leftovers — they make a great snack or salad topper! Gently press the crumbs to ensure they adhere to the custard layer. Cover and chill for at least 5 hours and up to 2 days in the fridge.

11. Right before serving, lift the dessert out of the pan and place on a cutting board. For clean slices, use a serrated knife, but instead of pushing the serrated knife down, into the dessert, slide through the layers (holding the blade perpendicular to the cutting board), then wipe between each cut. Dust with powdered sugar, divide among serving plates and evenly arrange the pecan bits on top.

Tip: If using salted butter, omit the extra salt added to the custard and pecans.

This recipe originally appeared in New York Times Cooking.

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