4 c. all-purpose flour
1 lb. sweet butter, chilled
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. ice water, as needed

1. Sift flour and salt into mixing bowl. Slice butter in very thin slices and add to flour working quickly with fingers. Rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Sprinkle with ice water, 2 or 3 tablespoons a time and toss with fork. Turn dough out onto work surface and using the heal of your hand, smear dough away from you, about 1/4 cup at a time. Scrape it up into a ball and, wrap in wax paper. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.

3. Divide dough in 4 parts. Put 1 part on lightly floured board. Flour rolling pin lightly and press it down into the center of dough. Roll gently out toward the edges. Keep rolling gently from the center up to edge to shape it into circle. When it is rolled out to 1/4 inch thickness transfer it to foil pizza plate. (Foil is odorless and you can leave the baked layers right there until torte is assembled.) Trim off edges to form round circle, leave the trimmed off pieces to bake along with the round layer as you will use the pieces for crumbs to top the torte. Prick the round layer with fork and bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes until it is golden color. Repeat the same procedure for the rest of layers.

VANILLA CREAM:

4 c. milk
8 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sweet butter
1 c. granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Beat egg yolks and sugar.

2. Scald milk in heavy saucepan or double boiler.

3. While milk is heating, whisk flour together with some milk to make smooth sauce.

4. Add the hot milk to flour mixture. Mix thoroughly and return to cook slowly, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, until mixture lightly coats the back of spoon.

5. Add beaten egg yolks and cook stirring constantly until mixture heavily coats back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

6. Add butter and vanilla; mix well. Chill. Before chilling cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent formation of a skin.

Assemble cake approximately 2 hours before serving. Spread generous layers of vanilla cream between each pastry layer and top the last layer with vanilla cream and sprinkle crumbled pieces over top. This torte might not win a prize for it's looks, but it might - for it's TASTE!