Here’s a classic Mille-Feuille recipe—also known as Napoleon, with layers of crispy puff pastry and creamy filling 🥐🍰
Mille-Feuille (Serves 6–8)
Ingredients
For the puff pastry
- 2 sheets store-bought puff pastry (or homemade, thawed if frozen)
For the pastry cream (crème pâtissière)
- 2 cups (480 ml) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter
For assembly
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Optional: melted chocolate for drizzle
Instructions
- Bake puff pastry
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Roll out pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut each sheet into rectangles (approx. 8×4 inches).
- Place on a baking tray lined with parchment, prick all over with a fork.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until golden and puffed. Let cool.
- Make pastry cream
- In a saucepan, heat milk until just simmering.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture while whisking.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla.
- Let cool, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin.
- Assemble the Mille-Feuille
- Place one puff pastry rectangle on a serving tray.
- Spread a layer of pastry cream evenly.
- Top with another pastry rectangle, spread more cream, then place final pastry layer.
- Dust top with powdered sugar. Optional: drizzle with melted chocolate.
- Chill & serve
- Refrigerate at least 1–2 hours before serving to let layers set.
- Slice carefully with a sharp knife.
Tips
- Chill pastry cream before assembling for easier layering
- Cutting puff pastry: use a serrated knife for clean edges
- Add flavor: mix berries or fruit puree into the cream for a twist
Variations
- Chocolate Mille-Feuille: Add cocoa to pastry cream
- Fruit Mille-Feuille: Layer with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or mango slices
- Caramel topping: Sprinkle caramelized sugar instead of powdered sugar
I can also give a quick 30-minute version using store-bought pastry cream for faster prep if you want.
Do you want me to do that?
