Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

Name: Flaky French Mille-Feuille with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: Puff pastry sheets; All-purpose flour; Whole milk; Vanilla bean; Granulated sugar; Egg yolks; Cornstarch; Unsalted butter; Powdered sugar; Milk; Dark chocolate

A classic French dessert with layers of light pastry and luscious cream

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.

2 h 30 min
8
Advanced

Ingredients

Puff Pastry

Puff pastry sheets

500g, thawed if frozen

All-purpose flour

1/4 cup, for dusting

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

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

Icing

Powdered sugar

1 cup

Milk

2 tablespoons

Dark chocolate

melted, for drizzling

Preparation

Preparing the Puff Pastry

Preheat Oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Ensure your pastry dough is cold to achieve the perfect flaky texture.

Roll Out Pastry

Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness.

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

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.

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.

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.

⚠ 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.

Cooking Process

Bake Puff Pastry

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the Icing

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth.

Assemble Mille-Feuille

Layer pastry rectangles with even layers of pastry cream between each. Top with icing and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Plating & Serving