Mille-Feuille
A classic French dessert, also known as a Napoleon, featuring delicate layers of crisp puff pastry, rich pastry cream, and a smooth fondant topping. The name 'Mille-Feuille' translates to 'thousand leaves,' alluding to the many flaky layers.
🧂 Ingredients
- 500 g Puff pastry(High-quality, all-butter puff pastry is recommended for the best flavor and texture.)
- 600 g Pastry cream (Crème Pâtissière)(Homemade or good quality store-bought. Ensure it's thick and well-chilled.)
- 200 g Fondant icing(White fondant icing, warmed slightly for easier spreading.)
- 30 g Dark chocolate(Good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) for garnishing.)
- for dusting Powdered sugar(Optional, for a final dusting.)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the puff pastry: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 2-3 mm. Trim the edges to create a neat rectangle. Using a fork, generously 'dock' the entire surface of the pastry to prevent it from puffing up too much. Place the pastry sheet on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and place another baking tray on top to weigh it down. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and appears crisp. Remove the top baking tray and parchment paper and bake for another 5-10 minutes until deeply caramelized and very crisp. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
⏱️ 30-35 minutes - 2
Cut the pastry: Once the pastry is completely cool and crisp, carefully trim the edges to create three equal rectangular layers. Aim for precise, clean cuts. A sharp serrated knife works best for this.
⏱️ 10 minutes - 3
Assemble the layers: Place one pastry rectangle on your serving platter. Spread half of the pastry cream evenly over the surface, reaching close to the edges. Carefully place the second pastry rectangle on top. Spread the remaining pastry cream over the second layer. Gently place the third pastry rectangle on top, ensuring it is aligned with the bottom layer.
⏱️ 15 minutes - 4
Decorate and chill: Gently warm the fondant icing until it is spreadable but not hot. Pour and spread it evenly over the top pastry layer. While the fondant is still soft, melt the dark chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag with a very fine tip (or a small ziplock bag with a tiny corner snipped off). Pipe thin, parallel lines of chocolate across the fondant. Immediately use a skewer or toothpick to drag lines through the chocolate in the opposite direction, creating a feathered or marbled effect. If desired, lightly dust the edges with powdered sugar. Chill the assembled Mille-Feuille in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the pastry to soften slightly for easier slicing.
⏱️ 10 minutes (active), 4 hours (chilling)
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Ensure the puff pastry is baked until extremely crisp, as it will soften slightly from the pastry cream. This is crucial for the characteristic texture.
- ✓Assemble the Mille-Feuille as close to serving time as possible for the best texture, though chilling is necessary for the fondant to set and flavors to meld.
- ✓Cutting can be challenging due to the crisp pastry. Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. Don't worry if the layers shift slightly; it's part of the charm.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a layer of fresh berries (like raspberries or strawberries) between the pastry cream layers.
- Incorporate a layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream alongside or instead of some of the pastry cream.