Semi-shortcrust pastry dessert: A timeless family recipe

My grandma's semi-shortcrust pastry with peaches and pudding reminds me of late summer, warm Saturday afternoons, and freshly cut grass. Grandma usually baked cakes just before Sunday to share with the family and friends. I still remember the taste of the semi-shortcrust peach cake. Such flavours are unforgettable.

The base of the peach cake is semi-shortcrust pastry, which most of us probably associate with apple pie. Semi-shortcrust pastry, besides the obligatory flour, butter, and sugar, also contains sour cream (buttermilk or kefir). This ingredient ensures that our semi-shortcrust pastry doesn't crumble like shortcrust pastry. The addition of sour cream also necessitates using a leavening agent, e.g., baking powder. Remember that all the ingredients for semi-shortcrust pastry should be cold, not just the butter.

You can prepare a semi-shortcrust cake with either tinned or fresh peaches. In the latter case, ensuring the fruits are soft and sweet is essential.

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 350 grams all-purpose flour,
• 170 grams of cold butter,
• 3 egg yolks,
• 65 grams of powdered sugar,
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (15 grams),
• 1 flat teaspoon baking powder,
• 2 tablespoons sour cream,
• pinch of salt.

Pudding filling:

• 4 egg whites,
• 150 grams sugar,
• 1 packet vanilla sugar,
• 2 packs of vanilla pudding mix (sugar-free),
• 60 millilitres of oil,
• pinch of salt,
• 8 peach halves in syrup or fresh soft peaches.

Preparation:

1. Sift the flour with the baking powder, and add salt.
2. Grate the hard butter on a large grater or cut it with a knife while mixing it with the flour. Quickly knead the dough (it will resemble crumbs).
3. Add the egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Knead the dough quickly, just until the ingredients are combined.
4. Form the dough into a ball and divide it into two parts: place 2/3 in the refrigerator and 1/3 in the freezer. Wrap the dough earlier in plastic wrap.
5. Prepare the pudding filling: beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt. When the foam stiffens, gradually add the sugar and vanilla sugar. Finally, add the pudding mix and oil. Mix everything on low speed.
6. Drain the peaches from the syrup and cut them into slices.
7. Take 2/3 of the dough from the refrigerator and spread it on the bottom of a baking tray. Prick the dough all over with a fork.
8. Arrange half of the peaches on the dough and pour the pudding filling over them. Then, arrange the peaches again.
9. Take 1/3 of the dough from the freezer and grate it on a large grater over the fruit.
10. Bake the cake for 50 minutes at 180°C (top-bottom mode).
11. Set aside to cool, and then dust with powdered sugar.