napoleon pastry

From the countless flaky layers of delicate puff pastry, to the creamy clouds of vanilla pastry cream, to the decorative marbled icing, mille-feuille is an indulgent dessert worthy of a special occasion. Learn how to make this classic European pastry in your own kitchen by carefully following the detailed recipe below. I also include thorough explanations in the blog post above, and step photos in the recipe instructions, to set you up for success. Review recipe Notes below before starting.

Mille-Feuille (Napoleon Pastry)

lb. homemade rough puff pastry

all-purpose flour dough

egg yolks, cold or room temperature

Tablespoons (23 grams) cornstarch

(480 milliliters) whole milk (do

(100 grams) granulated sugar

Tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

vanilla extract

seeds vanilla vanilla

salt

(120 milliliters) heavy cream

(120 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

milk

(57 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Prepare homemade rough puff pastry dough through 2nd refrigeration. If using store-bought frozen puff pastry, thaw according to package directions. Keep either dough in the refrigerator until step 7 below.

Make the pastry cream

In a large heatproof bowl (preferably with a pour spout), whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together with a fork. It may not look like it will all come together (it will be dry at first), but keep mixing until the mixture is thick and combined. If it&#8217;s not coming together at all, add a few drops of the milk you need in step 3 to bring together. Set aside at room temperature.

Combine the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat. Pour the warm milk and sugar mixture in a slow and steady stream into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture, whisking the entire time. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. Over a sieve, to strain out any egg yolk solids that may have formed during tempering, pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Return the saucepan to medium heat, and whisk constantly. The mixture will be frothy on the surface at first, and then it will begin to thicken quickly and large bubbles will begin to burst on the surface. This usually takes about 1–2 minutes. Stand back and use caution. Let the bubbles burst for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture has thickened into a custard- or pudding-like consistency. (For a more accurate test, the custard is done when the temperature reaches 185–190°F (85–88°C).) Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, and a pinch of salt. Cool for 10 minutes. (You will use the heavy cream later, in step 9.)

Transfer the pastry cream from the saucepan to a heatproof bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment directly on the surface of the custard, to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours. Makes 2–2.5 cups, or about 580–610g.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12&#215;17-inch baking sheet (half sheet pan) with parchment paper. Have a second baking sheet and more parchment paper out as well. Set aside.

Shape the dough

On a floured work surface using a floured rolling pin, roll pastry dough into a rectangle about 11×16 inches in size. (If using store-bought puff pastry sheets, place them side by side, with the edge of one sheet overlapping the other in the center, and use a rolling pin to adhere them together as you roll the whole thing out into an 11×16-inch rectangle.)

Transfer the dough to the lined baking sheet. Dock the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of the pastry dough. Set a second baking sheet, filled with pie weights (or dried beans, or other options see recipe Note below) on top. Bake for 20 minutes with pan &amp; weights on top. Remove from oven and carefully remove the top weighted baking sheet and the top piece of parchment. Return the uncovered pastry to the oven for 7–9 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes on the pan, and then carefully lift it and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Finish the cream filling

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add the chilled pastry cream to the bowl with the whipped cream. Beat on low speed until just combined and smooth. Do not over-mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. You&#8217;ll use it in step 12.

Assemble the pastries

Using a large, very sharp knife, trim around the sides of the cooled pastry to straighten up any uneven edges. Use the knife to cut the pastry into 15 squares roughly uniform in size. NOTE: The pastry will shrink some while baking. After starting with dough rolled out to 11&#215;16 inches, after baking it typically ends up around 9–10&#215;14–15 inches. So if you have a baked pastry that&#8217;s 9&#215;15 inches (after trimming the edges), your 15 squares will be 3&#215;3 inches. If your pastry is a slightly different size, don&#8217;t panic! Use a measuring tape or ruler to measure the sides to determine exactly how wide to space your cuts. Measure the long side and divide by 5, then measure the short side and divide by 3.

Make &amp; add the topping

In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners&#8217; sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined and smooth. Place the chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup. Melt in 20-second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment, until completely melted and smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a small plastic sandwich bag and cut off a bottom corner. Place 5 pastry squares on a wire rack set over parchment paper. With a spoon or icing spatula, spoon and spread the vanilla icing on one square. Before the icing has a chance to set, pipe 4 lines of melted chocolate across each top. Use a toothpick to create a chevron design, dragging it across the stripes in a perpendicular direction. Alternate directions with the toothpick, wiping the toothpick end with a paper towel in between each pass. Repeat with the remaining 4 pastry squares.

Assemble the mille-feuille

Fit a pastry/piping bag with a large round tip. Or, you can simply use a large plastic bag and snip off a bottom corner with scissors. Starting with one of the (plain/un-iced) pastry squares, pipe 3 dollops of cream filling in 3 rows (9 dollops total). Place another (plain) pastry square on top, pressing down very lightly. Repeat the piping of 9 dollops on the next layer. Place one of the decorated (iced) pastry squares on top of the second layer of cream filling. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares; you will have 5 assembled pastries. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes before serving, or up to 8 hours. The soft filling will spill out the sides when you cut or bite into it, and that&#8217;s expected.

Store mille-feuille in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pastry will become softer and less crisp over time.

These turned out great ! I had so much extra filling, but that’s ok we ate it on the  side !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-FQR19m1E

From the countless flaky layers of delicate puff pastry, to the creamy clouds of vanilla pastry cream, to the decorative marbled icing, mille-feuille is an impressive dessert worthy of a special occasion. Learn how to make this classic European pastry in your own kitchen—no complicated ingredients or pastry school diploma needed.

Get the full recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/mille-feuille-napoleon-pastry/

• Ask your recipe question or leave a review over on the recipe page.

#baking #recipes #millefeuille #napoleonpastry #howtomakemillefeuille 

• More of Sally's baking recipes: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/

Mille-Feuille | Sally's Baking

Recipe video above. This is JB&#39;s recipe for a real Mille-Feuille, made the proper French patisserie way with thick layers of custard rather than little blobs sandwiched between puff pastry. It&#39;s just not the same!It takes time to make but don&#39;t be intimated, we&#39;ll lead you through it step by step. There&#39;s nothing here that a home cook can&#39;t do, no speciality ingredients or equipment required. Truly great Mille-Feuille is so rare outside France, it really is worth making yourself. And imagine the bragging rights!

Mille-Feuille

butter puff pastry

tbsp soft icing sugar / powdered sugar

full fat milk ((low-fat works too))

thickened cream / heavy cream

vanilla bean

sugar

cornflour / cornstarch

tbsp plain flour / all-purpose flour

tbsp gelatine powder ((Note 3))

water (, just cold tap water)

icing sugar / powdered sugar (, sifted)

tsp full fat milk ((low-fat works too))

tsp vanilla extract

chocolate

Bake puff pastry pressed between sheets. Spread with vanilla icing, pipe chocolate lines then use a toothpick to make the Mille Feuille pattern. Make custard the usual way - it is extra thick. Cool then incorporate gelatine and whipped cream - the whipped cream lightens it and the gelatine makes the Mille Feuille sliceable. Pipe between puff pastry layers, chill 6 hours to properly set before slicing.

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced).

Cut each pastry sheet in half, you’ll use 3 halves and pop the 4th back in the freezer for another day.

Prick and dust - Turn 2 baking trays upside down and cover with a sheet of baking paper / parchment paper (Note 5). Place one puff pastry sheet on one tray and two on the other, spaced out as much as you can. Prick all over with a fork (about 30 pricks on each piece). Dust all over with icing sugar using a sifter.

Weigh down - Cover each pastry with another sheet of baking paper / parchment paper and place another tray on top to keep them from puffing up as they bake.

Bake 30 minutes, swapping and turning the trays halfway through, until deep golden and crisp. (The one with 2 sheets on it might take a few extra minutes). Place them on a wire rack and cool completely.

Trim each puff pastry sheets to make them all the same size using a sharp serrated knife. You can either use a ruler or stack them, using one as the master template.

Puff Pastry Layers

Infuse milk - Put the milk, cream, vanilla bean seeds and used vanilla bean into a large saucepan (~20 cm/8&quot; wide). Heat over medium heat until just below boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes to steep.

Whisk yolks - In a medium size bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. It will become like wet sand at first, then will turn liquidy and smooth. Add cornflour and flour, whisk until smooth - it will be like a thick cake batter.

Remove vanilla bean from the milk and use your fingers to squeeze all the milk out into the saucepan. Discard used bean.

Temper eggs - While whisking constantly, slowly pour half the vanilla milk mixture into the yolk bowl. Once combined, pour the mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and whisk to combine.

Thicken custard - Return the saucepan on medium heat (or medium low if you have a strong burner). Whisk constantly - leisurely at first, then more briskly as the mixture starts to heat up at which point it will start to thicken into a thick custard - around 7 to 10 minutes, even longer if using a very low heat to be safe. If you see lumps like scrambled eggs, move it off the heat straight away and whisk them out vigorously until smooth then return to the stove.

Custard goal thickness - The custard is ready when it is very thick dolloping consistency (see video at 2.20 minutes). You should be able to draw a path across the base of the pan and the pan base stays visible. This custard is thicker than usual so you cannot rely on the &quot;bubble&quot; test.

Finish - Remove from the stove. Whisk in the cold butter cubes until incorporated (the butter must be cold, not room temperature else custard may split). Immediately pour into a large bowl, smooth surface, then cover with cling wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 45 minutes or until it is cool and firms up to a soft rubber-like consistency. (You can even leave it overnight).

Vanilla Custard Filling (Pastry Cream)

Vanilla icing - In a small bowl, whisk icing sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. (Don&#39;t make this ahead as it will crust over).

Melted chocolate - Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt over (3 × 20-second microwave bursts), stirring between each. Transfer to a small piping bag or zip-lock bag. Snip a 2 mm hole (1/6&quot;). (Only melt chocolate just prior to using to ensure it remains fluid).

Mille Feuille icing pattern (see video at 3.58 minutes and step photos) - Place one piece of puff pastry on a rack set on a tray (to catch drips). Spread evenly with the vanilla icing. Pipe on thin lines of the chocolate icing lengthways, making the lines 1 cm / 0.4&quot; apart. Working quickly before the chocolate sets, use a toothpick to drag through the lines (1.5 cm / 0.6&quot; apart), alternating one way and then the other, to make the classic mille-feuille pattern.

Fridge 30 minutes - Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let it set. It can stay for longer, until you&#39;re ready to assemble.

Vanilla & Chocolate Icing

Bloom gelatine - Place the cold water in a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatine evenly over the surface. Whisk to combine, then leave for 3 minutes until firm and rubbery (this is called &quot;blooming&quot;). Microwave for 15 seconds until melted (do not boil), then cool for 5 minutes.

Loosen custard - Remove the chilled custard from the fridge, it will have firmed up into a soft rubber. Then use a rubber spatula to soften the custard as best you can, I just sort of smear it. It won&#39;t become soft creamy, it will be like a soft mushy paste.

Combine custard and gelatine - Transfer a 1/4 of the custard into a large saucepan (~20 cm/8&quot; wide) and warm it over low heat, whisking, until it softens a bit more. It won&#39;t become fluid but it will be a very soft paste. Still on the stove, add gelatine and whisk until smooth, it will be like a thick batter consistency. Whisk in another 1/4 of the custard until smooth, then remove from the stove and pour that mixture into the custard bowl. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly while you whip the cream.

Whisk in whipped cream - Beat the cream using an electric beater or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form (upright peaks). Put a quarter of the cream into the custard, then beat it in with the electric beater. Add remaining cream then beat again until smooth. Congratulations, you&#39;ve made diplomate cream!

Fridge 20 min only -  Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes so it firms up enough to pipe, but still creamy enough to scoop. Do not refrigerate longer else the gelatine will make the custard set. If you accidentally do this, gently warm to soften then refrigerate again.

Turn Pastry Cream into Diplomate Cream

Beat smooth - Remove the diplomate cream from the fridge. It will be like a block of soft rubber. Using an electric beater, beat on high for 30 seconds or until the custard is loosened and smooth. Transfer half the custard into a large piping bag and snip the tip of the bag so you have a 1cm / 0.4&quot; round hole (or use a round nozzle).

Layer 1 - Place one cooked pastry sheet on a cutting board. Pipe lengthways on the pastry sheet - I do 6 rows - to cover all the pastry with diplomate cream, aiming to use all the diplomate cream. Dip an offset spatula in warm water then gently smooth the top.

Layer 2 - Place the second pastry sheet on top, press lightly. Fill the piping bag with the remaining diplomate cream and repeat the piping. Smooth the top again.

Layer 3 - Gently place the iced pastry on top, icing facing up. Use any leftover diplomate cream to pipe along the short edges to fill any gaps in the custard and use the offset spatula to smooth it.

Chill - Refrigerate at least 6 hours to set (I usually refrigerate overnight, to be sure).

Slice - Use a sharp serrated knife to cut into 6 pieces, wiping the blade between each slice. If you can, wait another 30 minutes before eating as the custard is even nicer if it&#39;s not fridge-cold!

Assemble the Mille-feuille

Thanks so much for this well-thought-out and beautifully explained recipe JB and Nagi! I have not come across a better recipe for the home baker to successfully produce Millefeuille in the home kitchen. I love the use of creme diplomate instead of just creme pat, and the added body provided by the gelatine. I think my Cordon Bleu patisserie recipe also adds toasted flaked almonds around the edge of each slice, but personally don’t think it’s necessary (gilding an already  very tasty lily)! It also calls for white fondant icing to be used but I can see your version being just as nice and a million times easier to reproduce :-) Thanks again! Please know that there are many of us home cooks who absolutely love having access to such carefully written and tested recipes. JB - we love all that you bring to RTE with your French chef expertise! Merci beaucoup!

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