Xanthe Clay's Raspberry Millefeuille
A huge piece of patisserie oozing vanilla cream and raspberries, this makes a showstopper of a pud.
A huge piece of patisserie oozing vanilla cream and raspberries, this makes a showstopper of a pud. It looks difficult to cut, but in fact slices quite neatly using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing action. A cake slice is the thing to transfer the pieces neatly.
Cooking the puff pastry pressed between two baking sheets keeps the pastry flat while still allowing it to bake evenly into “a thousand leaves”.
Serves 6
8oz/225g sheet of ready rolled all-butter puff pastry
1tbsp icing sugar
2 egg yolks
1oz/30g caster sugar
3 level tbsp cornflour
2level tbsp plain flour
1/2 pint/280ml milk
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2 pint/280ml double cream, lightly whipped
raspberries
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6.
- Unroll the pastry and lay it on a baking sheet lined with a piece of baking parchment. Prick it all over with a fork. Lay another piece of baking parchment on top and a second baking sheet on top of that.
- Bake in the oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 170C/325F/Gas3 and bake for another ten minutes, until golden. Cool the flat piece of pastry on a rack.
- Once cool, trim the pastry into a neat oblong with a serrated knife. Cut the oblong into three strips. Preheat the grill (or a blow torch) to high. Put the icing sugar in a fine sieve and dust the pastry evenly with it. Grill the pastry until the sugar has melted to a shiny glaze. Allow to cool. (This can be done up to two days ahead).
- Make the crème patissiere filling. Beat the eggs with the sugar, cornflour and flour. Add 4tbsp of the milk and beat until smooth.
- Heat the milk until boiling and pour it over the egg yolk mixture. Stir well, then pour back into the rinsed out pan. Heat until boiling and thick, stirring all the time, then pour into a bowl to cool. Press a layer of clingfilm on the surface to stop a skin forming.
(C) Xanthe Clay
