Flavor it: Add 1 tbsp of vanilla extract and 1 ¾ cups of butter and whisk until completely melted.
Make it smooth: If your custard had clumps, run it through a fine sieve to remove clumps.
Allow the custard to cool by pouring it into a rimmed baking sheet and covering it with plastic wrap. The plastic wrap should touch the surface of the custard, to keep a skin from forming.
Tip: If making ahead of time, refrigerate covered for up to 3 days.
Bake the puff pastry cake layers
Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Set the rack in the middle.
Prep the baking sheet: Turn a 12″ x 16″ baking sheet over (or use a flat cookie sheet, right side up) and set it on a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from moving as you’ll roll your cake layers on top of it.
Roll the cake layers: Remove 1 dough ball from the fridge at a time and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12 ½” circle on top of the upside down baking sheet dusting the surface with flour as needed. The cake layers will be very thin.
Prick with a fork every 1-2 inches, to prevent uneven rising. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden.
TIP: Start a timer every time a cake layer goes in the oven to prevent it from burning. The cake layers bake fast and it is easy to forget and burn them.
Trim: As soon as the cake layer is baked and out of the oven, place an 11-inch stensil (dinner plate, large lid, etc.) on top of the cake layer and use a very sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut around it. Collect the scraps into a separate bowl and be careful to keep the round cake layers from cracking. Use a flat cookie sheet, a cake transfer
Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the rest of the dough, to achieve 8 layers total.
Crumble the cake scraps into finer crumbs. Set aside. This will be used to cover the outside of the cake.
Assembly
Divide the frositng into 8 equal pieces by “cutting” it with spatula or spoon. As the frosting cools it will be thickened like a jelly so it will be easy to divide.
Now put a small dab of frosting on your serving plate and top it with the first cake layer. Press gently to adhere.
Surround the cake layer by a cake ring & secure it with a ribbon or a cake strip.
The cake will be layered inside the ring. The cake ring is optional, but it does help to keep the edges tidy.
Layer the cake: Add 1/8th of custard to the cake layer inside the cake ring and spread it evenly.
Now repeat with the remaining cake layers and custard, finishing with half of the remaining custard on top.
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