Basque Pastry Cream Pie With Almonds

Pantxineta San Sebastian, Spain

Getty Images / Sergio Amiti

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Pantxineta (or Panchineta in Spanish) is a traditional dessert from the Basque country of Spain. It is a simple dessert to prepare, yet looks very elegant. Your guests will never imagine that you spent less than an hour preparing it! Pastry cream is baked between two sheets puff pastry and covered with coarsely chopped almonds and hazelnuts and powdered sugar.

Note: Puff pastry sheets are sold in the refrigerator and freezer sections of most supermarkets. They may be rolled up in wax paper or floured and folded. If using frozen pastry sheets, defrost them in the refrigerator overnight, or remove from package and defrost them on the kitchen counter for approximately 30 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces/1 liter milk
  • Peel of 1/2 lemon
  • Peel of 1/2 orange
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 2 puff pastry sheets (1.2 pounds)
  • 3 1/2 ounces almonds
  • 3 1/2 ounces hazelnuts
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered confectioner's sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 365 F.

  3. Measure and pour milk into a medium saucepan. Wash outside of lemon and orange and dry. Cut peel from lemon and orange. (Try to take only the colored part of the peel.)

  4. Place peels and cinnamon stick into milk. Add butter. Bring milk to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Set aside to cool.

  5. Separate whites from the yolks. Reserve yolks. Place egg whites in a large bowl.

  6. Add granulated sugar and mix well. Add the rice flour and mix very well, ensuring that there are no lumps.

  7. Remove lemon and orange peel and cinnamon stick from milk and discard. Pour milk into the bowl of egg whites and sugar, and stir. Pour it all back into the saucepan and return it to the stove. While continuously stirring, bring to a boil. As soon as the milk boils, turn the heat down to a lower simmer. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

  8. Beat the two egg yolks with a tablespoon of water.

  9. Place one of the puff pastry sheets on a cookie sheet. Brush all edges with beaten egg yolks. Spread out thickened pastry cream on puff pastry.

  10. Carefully cover with the second sheet. Using a fork, seal all the edges. Brush the entire top pastry sheet with the beaten egg yolk.

  11. Chop almonds and hazelnuts very coarsely using a knife or food processor (big chunks are fine). Spread them evenly over the top of the pantxineta. Using a sifter spread powdered sugar generously over the top.

  12. Bake in the center rack of the oven for approximately 25 minutes.

  13. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
847 Calories
47g Fat
91g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 847
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 60%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 67mg 22%
Sodium 277mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 91g 33%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Protein 19g
Calcium 206mg 16%
*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.)