Dessert · French ·

Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Name: Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: Puff pastry sheets, 500g, thawed if frozen; All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup, for dusting; Whole milk, 2 cups; Vanilla bean, 1, split lengthwise and seeds scraped; Granulated sugar, 1/2 cup; Egg yolks, 5 large; Cornstarch, 1/4 cup; Unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons, softened; Powdered sugar, 1 cup; Milk, 2 tablespoons; Dark chocolate, melted, for drizzling

An indulgent and elegant dessert featuring layers of crisp puff pastry and smooth, rich vanilla bean pastry cream topped with a delicate drizzle of icing.

4.8(246 reviews)

·By Ethan Brooks·November 2, 2025

Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream — Dessert served and photographed from above

Prep

50 min

Cook

2 h 30 min

Difficulty

Advanced

Serves

Ingredients

Servings

Puff Pastry

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Icing

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories: 580 kcal
Protein: 8.38 g
Carbs: 73.5 g
Fat: 29.19 g
Fiber: 1.44 g

Whole recipe

Total

Calories: 4636 kcal
Protein: 67 g
Carbs: 588 g
Fat: 233.5 g
Fiber: 11.5 g

Breakdown by ingredient▾

Ingredient	Cal	P	C	F	Fib
Puff pastry sheets 500g, thawed if frozen	2650	32	272	164	8
All-purpose flour 1/4 cup, for dusting	110	3	23	0.5	0.5
Whole milk 2 cups	300	16	24	16	0
Vanilla bean 1, split lengthwise and seeds scraped	12	0	3	0	1
Granulated sugar 1/2 cup	387	0	100	0	0
Egg yolks 5 large	270	14	2	23	0
Cornstarch 1/4 cup	120	0	30	0	0
Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons, softened	200	0	0	22	0
Powdered sugar 1 cup	467	0	120	0	0
Milk 2 tablespoons	20	1	2	1	0
Dark chocolate melted, for drizzling	100	1	12	7	2

These estimates are not intended as dietary advice.

Preparation

Get these tasks done before you start cooking.

Preparing the Puff Pastry

1
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Tip: Ensure your pastry dough is cold to achieve the perfect flaky texture.
2
Roll Out Pastry
Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness.
3
Cut and Prick Pastry
Cut the pastry into three equal-sized rectangles. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and prick all over with a fork.

Making the Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

1
Infuse Milk
In a saucepan, combine milk and vanilla bean (both seeds and pod) over medium heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and let steep.
2
Mix Egg Mixture
In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until combined. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return to saucepan.
3
Cook and Thicken
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and boiling. Remove from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in butter. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
Tip: ⚠ Do not let the pastry cream boil again after thickened as it may curdle; Pro Tip: Chill quickly by placing the saucepan in an ice bath.

How to Make Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Total time: 3 h 20 min · Yields 8 servings

1
Bake Puff Pastry
Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
2
Prepare the Icing
In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth.
3
Assemble Mille-Feuille
Layer pastry rectangles with even layers of pastry cream between each. Top with icing and drizzle with melted chocolate.