Mille Feuille (Napoleans)

The classic French pastry - Mille Feuille (a thousand leaves) or Napoleans. And you can make it at home!

Mille Feuille

1 package frozen puff pastry sheets

(If using Pepperidge Farm Brand, 1 package contains the correct amount. Total weight is 1.1 pounds or 490 grams.) (Or 1 recipe homemade puff pastry, 1 pound, well chilled - not frozen - and ready to roll.)

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM (Creme Patisserie)

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup flour

1 cup boiling milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

pinch of salt

-Place the 3 egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until lighter in color and mixture ribbons when the beater is lifted, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the flour and pinch of salt and blend together. Slowly, add the hot milk in a thin stream while running the mixer on medium speed.

-Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan set over moderate heat. Stir constantly until the pastry cream thickens and reaches a boil. Reduce and cook and stir for 2 -3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool to room temperature.

-Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard. Set aside or chill in the fridge until ready to assemble the mille-feuille.

ROYAL ICING AND DECORATION

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

2 medium egg whites, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

8 ounces (1 1/4 cups) confectioner’s sugar

1 - 2 tablespoons cold water

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using homemade puff pastry, have it chilled and ready, or thaw store-bought puff pastry sheets according to the package directions.

-On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the puff pastry dough into an elongated rectangle, the thickness of a thin piece of cardboard, roughly 18 x 12 inches. If using the frozen dough, lay the two sheets of pastry side by side on the floured surface and roll out to a large rectangle 18 x 12 inches, pressing on and closing the center seam as you work.

-With a sharp knife, cut the dough into three equally sized pieces, about 6 x 12 inches each.

-Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pierce the dough all over with a fork. Cover the dough with another sheet of parchment paper and place a slightly smaller baking pan or pie weights on top to weigh down the dough to keep it from puffing up too much as it bakes.

-Bake the dough in batches if necessary for about 18 - 20 minutes or until the dough is deep golden brown. The extra pan and top layer of parchment paper can be removed for the last 5 minutes of baking to help crisp up the top of the dough. Transfer the baked pastry layers to racks to cool completely.

TO ASSEMBLE:

-Trim the pastry layers to make them basically the same size. You’ll have the chance to trim the edges for a uniform look after assembling the pastry.

-Spoon and spread half of the pastry cream over one layer of baked puff pastry. Top with another layer of pastry, pressing gently to adhere it to the pastry cream. Spread the remaining pastry cream over the second layer of pastry and top with the third layer of pastry and again press down gently. Set in fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

-Melt the chocolate in a small microwave-proof bowl in the microwave at 30-second intervals on high, stirring after each interval and letting chocolate rest for about 1 minute between intervals, until you can stir the chocolate to a smooth consistency. It may take 2 to 3, 30-second intervals. Transfer melted chocolate to a small plastic sandwich bag with a snipped corner to make a tiny opening. Set aside.

-Using an electric mixer or mixing by hand, make the royal icing by beating the egg whites, lemon juice and powdered sugar together on low until the mixture is very smooth and glossy. This should take 7 - 10 minutes. Add pinch of salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a drizzling consistency so that when the icing is drizzled back into the bowl from the beater it will sit briefly on the surface of the icing before sinking back in.

-Place the assembled pastry on a wire rack set in a baking sheet to catch the drips and immediately pour the royal icing over the top layer and spread it evenly over the entire surface with a spatula. Some will run down the sides but this isn’t a problem.

-Working quickly before the icing sets, pipe the chocolate across the icing on the top, in evenly spaced thin parallel lines, about 3/4 of an inch apart. Don’t worry if your lines are not perfectly straight or a little sloppy at this point - they will look beautiful when finished.

-Turn the pastry in the other direction facing you and drag the tip of a thin, sharp knife or a kabob stick through the lines of chocolate in parallel lines from one side of the pastry to the other, perpendicular to your first parallel lines. Alternate this second set of chocolate lines, by dragging the knife first from top to bottom and the next one bottom to top, alternating as you go, to create the traditional chevron patterns. Wipe off the knife with a damp cloth after dragging each line. This creates the most classic mille-feuille decorative pattern.

-Refrigerate the assembled mille-feuille for at least 2 - 3 hours or freeze for 30 minutes if pressed for time.

-Once the pastry is well chilled, use a long very sharp serrated knife to trim 1/2 inch off the edges of the pastry all around to make a neat and evenly proportioned rectangle. Return pastry to fridge to continue to chill until ready to serve.

-To serve. cut into individual portions by using a small serrated knife and cutting with the knife held vertically and gently sawing up and down, through the layers, rather than pressing down on the layers, which will make the filling ooze out and destroy your lovely design. Cut into 2 inch by 4 inch pieces, following the lines of your chocolate stripes to create the nicest pattern on each serving.

-Makes 8 - 10 servings

Roll out puff pastry to a 18 X 12 inch rectangle.

Bake 3, 6 X 12 inch strips until golden brown.

Frost pastry with royal icing and pipe on chocolate stripes. Follow directions to create traditional chevron pattern.

Chill and cut pastry into serving pieces. Delicious!

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

-If you enjoy making traditional puff pastry, go for it! But if you have never tried or are intimidated by the process (it is very precise and requires your focus over several hours), try this easy and rewarding recipe of what is called “Rough Puff Pastry” by Erin McDowell. (https://food52.com/recipes/82577-best-rough-puff-pastry-recipe) There is something incredibly rewarding about making your own pastry - but only if it turns out - and this recipe is easier than most and simpler to follow with a beautiful result! Truth be told, the frozen puff pastry sheets turn out well, so if you’d rather, go for the frozen!

-Some suggest that to be a “Napolean” the pastry cream must be almond flavored. So if you agree or want to see which you like better, vanilla or almond, try almond extract instead.

-This pastry is best served and kept chilled so the cream stays cold and doesn’t ooze out as much as you eat it.