Mille-Feuille

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: ~3 hours (includes cooling)

Servings: 6

Country of Origin

France

Description

Translating to "a thousand leaves," this classic pastry consists of three layers of crispy, caramelized puff pastry stacked alternatively with layers of smooth vanilla pastry cream. The top layer is beautifully coated with a feathered dark and white icing.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Presented as neat rectangular slices. To eat without spilling the cream, it can be gently turned onto its side before cutting with a sharp dessert fork.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry

• 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for caramelizing)

For the Pastry Cream:

• 500ml whole milk

• 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)

• 4 large egg yolks

• 100g sugar

• 40g cornstarch

• 30g butter

For the Glaze:

• 150g powdered sugar

• 2-3 tbsp milk

• 30g dark chocolate (melted)

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Bake Pastry: Roll out puff pastry between two sheets of parchment paper, weighed down with a second baking sheet to keep it flat. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes. Remove top sheet, dust pastry with powdered sugar, and bake for 5 more minutes until shiny and caramelized. Cut into three equal rectangles.

2. Make Pastry Cream: Heat milk and vanilla. Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture, return to heat, and boil for 1–2 minutes until thick. Stir in butter, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill.

3. Assemble Cream Layers: Pipe or spread half the chilled pastry cream onto the first pastry rectangle. Top with the second pastry sheet, spread the remaining cream, and finish with the third pastry sheet.

4. Glaze and Feather: Mix powdered sugar and milk for the white glaze; spread across the top pastry layer. Pipe thin parallel lines of melted chocolate across the glaze. Draw a toothpick perpendicularly through the lines to create a feathered chevron pattern.

5. Chill & Slice: Chill for 1 hour, then use a serrated knife to gently cut into rectangles.

Optional

• Fruit: Layer fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries along with the pastry cream for a summery touch.

Cooking Tips

• Weighting the Pastry: Keeping the puff pastry pressed flat under a second baking tray while it bakes ensures dense, crispy layers rather than tall, flaky ones.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~480 kcal

• Total Fat: 22g

• Saturated Fat: 12g

• Cholesterol: 165mg

• Sodium: ~210mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 64g

• Dietary Fiber: 1g

• Sugars: 42g

• Protein: 7g