Desserts should always have that wow factor, and this dish is incredibly simple to prepare, yet looks and tastes absolutely stunning. By lightly dusting the top of the pastry with confectioners’ sugar, it caramelizes the top and allows all the layers to separate into the “thousand leaves” that give the dessert its name.
SERVES: 4–6
INGREDIENTS:
- One 11-ounce package frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed
- 3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus extra to dust
- Seeds from 2 vanilla pods
- 2½ cups heavy cream
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ Tbsp orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
- 1½ cups fresh raspberries
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- UNROLL AND BAKE PASTRY
- Unroll the pastry and place on a nonstick baking sheet.
- Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 400°F and cook for an additional 7–12 minutes until the pastry is golden and glazed.
- Remove and leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
- MIX CREAM
- Mix the vanilla seeds into the cream.
- Add the 3 tablespoons of sugar and whip the mixture until it forms soft peaks.
- Add the orange zest and liqueur and fold in using a spatula.
- CHILL CREAM
- Spoon the cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
- Twist slowly to move the cream to the pointed end.
- Chill until ready to use.
- SLICE PASTRY
- When the pastry has cooled, slice it very gently into 3 equal-sized lengths with a bread knife.
- ASSEMBLE MILLEFEUILLE
- Assemble the millefeuille just before serving.
- Take the piping bag from the fridge, add a dot of cream to the serving plate to act as “glue,” and put a piece of pastry on top.
- Pipe a layer of cream over the pastry and add a border of raspberries around the outer edges.
- Pipe another layer of cream inside the raspberry border, then top with another layer of pastry and repeat the cream and raspberry stages.
- Finish with a top layer of pastry.
- Serve immediately, dusted with more confectioners’ sugar.
HOW TO VARY THE MILLEFEUILLE FILLING
- You can vary the filling of the millefeuille as much as you like.
- Use crème fraîche, mascarpone, strawberries, lime… whatever you like
