Mille Feuille Two Ways: Nectarine Cardamom and Raspberry White Chocolate

Mille feuille are light, flaky French pastries made with three layers of puff pastry and irresistible fillings.

Linda Longston's beautiful flavour combinations impressed the judges during French Patisserie Week on The Great Canadian Baking Show.

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 4 ⅔ cups flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ¾ cups frozen butter
• 1 ¼ cups ice water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Nectarine Cardamom Filling:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 large nectarines, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp cardamom
• 1 cup 35% cream
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ¼ cup dulce de leche
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Raspberry White Chocolate Filling:

• 1 cup 35% cream

Preparation

Pastry:

In large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Grate in butter and blend with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Mix 1 cup of the water with lemon juice. Add liquid slowly, just until mixture forms a ball, adding up to ¼ cup more water if necessary. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Turn dough onto well-floured surface and roll into an 8 x 20-inch rectangle. Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up to cover.

Quarter turn the dough and roll out a second time to 8 x 20-inch rectangle. Fold as before, wrap and put in fridge for 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 440°F. Line two 15 x 10-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

Cut dough in half crosswise and roll each piece to 15 x 10-inches. Place each on a prepared sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 420°F and weigh down each pastry sheet with another 15 x 10-inch sheet pan topped with an ovenproof dish. Bake until golden brown, about an additional 25 - 30 minutes.

Cool completely and cut each sheet into 18 2-½ x 3-⅓ inch rectangles.

Nectarine and Cardamom Filling:

Melt butter with brown sugar in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add nectarines and cardamom and cook until nectarines are softened, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

In medium bowl, use a hand mixer to whip cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Fold in almond extract. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with round piping tip.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Filling:

In medium bowl, use hand mixer to whip cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Mix in white chocolate. Fold in orange zest and vanilla. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with round piping tip.

Assembly:

Place 12 rectangles of puff pastry on serving platter. Dollop half of the plain sweetened whipped cream into rounds on 6 rectangles. Top evenly with half of nectarine slices and drizzle with half dulce de leche. Repeat layer, finishing with 6 rectangles of pastry and sliced almonds.

Dollop remaining 6 rectangles with a scant half of the white chocolate whipped cream, leaving space in between each dollop for a raspberry. Fill spaces with raspberries. Repeat layer, finishing with 6 rectangles of pastry, 2 small dollops of whipped cream, a raspberry and mint sprigs.

Dust finished pastries with icing sugar.

Preparation Time: 50 Minutes