Coca de crema: Baixas’ recipe with inverted puff pastry and homemade custard

The coca de crema is one of those pastries you recognise at a glance: a golden puff pastry
lid, almonds and pine nuts on top and, inside, a soft custard with a hint of lemon and
cinnamon. At Baixas we make it our own way, with inverted puff pastry and our own
pastry cream. Here we explain how we prepare it, and you can also watch it on video.

A coca de crema made of two preparations

The coca is a recipe with a long tradition across the Catalan-speaking lands, as this article on the coca explains, and the coca de crema is one of its best-loved sweet versions. What looks like a simple pastry is really two preparations that must both be done right: the dough and the cream.

Inverted puff pastry: butter on the outside, crisp on the inside

In inverted puff pastry the butter dough wraps the flour dough, the opposite of classic puff pastry. The result is a sheet that is more crisp, lighter and more buttery, and that holds the filling better.

The ingredients are few, but good ones:

• Butter with 82% fat
• Soft (low-protein) flour
• Flaky sea salt
• Water
• A few drops of white wine vinegar, which makes the dough easier to work

The secret is in the folds: two double folds and one single fold, resting at least 30 minutes between each. No rushing: the butter stays cold and the layers stay well defined.

Baixas pastry cream

Our pastry cream is flavoured the old-fashioned way: the milk is infused for about 30 minutes with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick before we begin. It is then made with:

• Whole milk
• Caster sugar
• Egg yolks
• Cornstarch
• Butter, added at the end

It is brought to the boil, cooked for one minute until it thickens, blended with the butter and cooled. The result is a smooth, full-bodied cream with that citrusy, spiced background that sets it apart.

As you’ll notice, we don’t share the exact quantities: every workshop has its own balance, and ours is what makes the coca unmistakable.

How we assemble the coca de crema

Assembly is where the two preparations come together:

1. The puff pastry is rolled out and cut into two strips.
2. A little cream is placed in the centre of one strip, and it is closed with the other.
3. The edge is notched to seal it and give it its classic coca look.
4. It is brushed and topped with pine nuts, flaked almonds and caster sugar.
5. It is baked at 170 °C for about 50 minutes.
6. Once cool, it is cut in half with a serrated knife and filled with the rest of the pastry cream.
7. To finish, it is dusted with icing sugar.

Watch how the coca de crema is made

If you’d rather watch than read, here is the step by step in our workshop: from folding the puff pastry to the last dusting of icing sugar.

Tips for enjoying coca de crema at its best

• Serve it cold or at room temperature, never fresh from the oven: the cream needs to rest for a clean cut.
• Cut it with a serrated knife, using gentle movements so the pastry layers aren’t crushed.
• Pair it with a coffee, a glass of cava or a moscatel.
• Keep it refrigerated and eat it the same day or the next so the pastry stays crisp.

Frequently asked questions about coca de crema

What is inverted puff pastry?

It is a puff pastry in which the butter is on the outside and the flour dough on the inside. It gives a crisper texture and a more buttery flavour than classic puff pastry.

How long does a coca de crema keep?

Because it contains pastry cream, it should be kept refrigerated and eaten within one or two days. To keep the pastry from losing its texture, it is best eaten the same day.

Why is the cream added both before and after baking?

A thin layer of cream in the centre helps seal the two strips of pastry. Most of it is added once the coca is baked and cool, so it stays fresh and keeps its texture.

What gives the pastry cream its aroma?

Infusing the milk with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick before making the cream. It is a simple step, but it is what gives the cream its signature flavour.

Can I buy Baixas’ coca de crema?

Yes. You’ll find it at our bakery at Muntaner 331, Barcelona, and through our website.

Try Baixas’ coca de crema

If you’d rather leave the work to our workshop, drop by the bakery at Muntaner 331 or order from the website. And if you’re planning a celebration, the coca de crema is also part of our event catering service. For more ideas, visit our blog of recipes and traditions.