Mille-Feuille (Napoleon)

Mille-Feuille (Napoleon) ingredients

• 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 500 ml whole milk
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 30 g cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp water
• 20 g dark chocolate

How to make Mille-Feuille (Napoleon)

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the two sheets of all-butter puff pastry. Prick the pastry all over with a fork to prevent it from rising too much during baking. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
3. Place another sheet of parchment paper over the sugared pastry, then top with a second baking sheet to weigh it down. This helps create flat, crispy layers. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove the top baking sheet and parchment and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and caramelized.
4. Remove the pastry from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully trim the edges and cut each sheet into three equal rectangles, resulting in six pieces total.
5. While the pastry cools, prepare the Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat 500 ml whole milk and 1/2 of the 100g granulated sugar over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Do not boil.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 4 large egg yolks, remaining 50g granulated sugar, and 30g cornstarch until pale and smooth. Slowly temper the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
7. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, for 2-3 minutes until the cream thickens significantly. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 25g unsalted butter. Transfer the cream to a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until completely cold.
8. Once chilled, whisk the pastry cream vigorously until smooth and lightened. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip.
9. Assemble the Mille-Feuille: Take one cooled pastry rectangle and pipe an even layer of pastry cream over its surface. Place a second pastry rectangle on top, gently press down, and pipe another layer of cream.
10. Top with the third pastry rectangle. For the icing, mix 150g powdered sugar with 2-3 tbsp water until a smooth, thick glaze forms. Spread this glaze evenly over the top pastry layer.
11. Melt 20g dark chocolate and transfer it to a small piping bag with a tiny hole (or use a parchment paper cone). Pipe thin parallel lines of chocolate across the white glaze. Immediately drag a toothpick perpendicularly through the chocolate lines, alternating directions, to create a feathered marble pattern.
12. Repeat the assembly and icing process for the remaining pastry rectangles. Chill the assembled Mille-Feuille for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the cream to set and the layers to meld. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut into individual portions.

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