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Mille-Feuille (Napoleon Pastry) Recipe

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3.9 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Eliza
  • Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 5 assembled pastries (serves 5)

Description

This classic French mille-feuille, also known as Napoleon pastry, features flaky puff pastry layered with creamy vanilla pastry cream and topped with a delicate vanilla icing and chocolate chevron design. It requires a few hours of chilling to allow the pastry cream to set and the flavors to meld, resulting in an elegant yet approachable dessert perfect for special occasions or indulgent teatime treats.

Ingredients

Puff Pastry

  • 1 lb. homemade rough puff pastry or store-bought frozen & thawed puff pastry (2 sheets)
  • All-purpose flour as needed to roll dough

Pastry Cream

  • 4 large egg yolks, cold or room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons (23g) cornstarch
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk (do not use low-fat or nondairy)
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (or extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • Small pinch salt

Whipped Cream Mixture

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold

Topping

  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1.5 tablespoons milk (dairy or nondairy)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces (57g) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Puff Pastry: Prepare homemade rough puff pastry dough through the second refrigeration stage; if using store-bought frozen puff pastry, thaw according to package instructions. Keep dough refrigerated until ready to roll.
  2. Make the Pastry Cream: In a large heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch until combined and thick. In a medium saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Gradually whisk the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper eggs. Strain mixture through a sieve back into the saucepan.
  3. Cook the Custard: Return mixture to medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and bubbles form on surface (about 1–2 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, and salt. Cool for 10 minutes.
  4. Chill Pastry Cream: Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent skin, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
  5. Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12×17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside a second baking sheet and parchment for weighting.
  6. Roll Out Dough: On a floured surface, roll out pastry dough into an 11×16-inch rectangle. For store-bought sheets, overlap and press them to form one rectangle before rolling.
  7. Bake Puff Pastry with Weights: Transfer dough to baking sheet, dock with fork, cover with parchment and a second weighted baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 7–9 more minutes until golden. Cool on pan 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  8. Whip Heavy Cream: Using a mixer, whip cold heavy cream to medium peaks (about 3 minutes). Fold chilled pastry cream into whipped cream gently until combined. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
  9. Trim & Cut Pastry: Trim edges of cooled puff pastry to straighten and cut into 15 approximately 3×3 inch squares.
  10. Prepare Icing and Chocolate Decoration: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Melt chopped chocolate in microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Using a spoon or spatula, spread vanilla icing on five pastry squares. Pipe four chocolate stripes across icing, then create a chevron pattern by dragging a toothpick perpendicularly, alternating directions.
  11. Assemble Mille-Feuille: Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe 9 dollops (3 rows of 3) of cream filling on a plain pastry square. Top with another plain square, lightly pressing. Repeat piping and layering. Place an iced square on the top layer. Assemble all five pastries similarly.
  12. Chill Assembled Pastries: Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes to set the filling before serving. The cream will be soft and may spill out when cut or bitten.
  13. Storage: Store mille-feuille in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the pastry will lose crispness over time.

Notes

  • Docking the pastry dough prevents puffing irregularly by allowing steam to escape.
  • Pie weights or dried beans can be used to weigh down pastry during blind baking.
  • Use a very sharp knife to trim pastry edges neatly for uniform squares.
  • The pastry typically shrinks during baking; measuring the baked pastry ensures precise cutting for uniform pieces.
  • Do not overmix the whipped cream with pastry cream to keep the filling light and airy.
  • The assembled dessert is best consumed within three days for optimal crispness.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://recipekind.com/mille-feuille-napoleon-pastry-recipe/