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mille feuille - Napoleons - poet in the pantry

Mille Feuille with Nutella Pastry Cream

Carrie @ poet in the pantry
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 6 large cage-free egg yolks
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch preferably organic
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons Nutella

Pastry

  • 1 1/2 pounds roughly puff pastry, thawed (1 1/2 boxes, or 3 pieces)

Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • whole milk to desired consistency

Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • about Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out 2 baking sheets and cut 2 sheets of parchment paper to match. Set aside.
  • In a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, combine the milk and half the sugar. Heat until it just starts to bubble, then remove from heat.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, remaining half of the sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
  • While whisking, slowly dribble about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Beat vigorously to temper the eggs.
  • Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and return to the stove.
  • Heat over medium flame until it starts to bubble, then continue cooking for 3 minutes to cook off the starch taste from the cornstarch.
  • Remove from heat and add the Nutella, stirring until well incorporated.
  • Transfer to another container and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, up to 24 hours in advance.
  • Take out the puff pastry sheets. My oven is a small wall oven, so I can't even fit a half sheet pan in it. Hence, I had to bake 1 puff pastry sheet at a time.
  • Unfold one puff pastry sheet.
  • Lay out a piece of parchment paper on one of the baking sheets and place the puff pastry in the middle of it.
  • Lay the other piece of parchment paper over the top and place the other baking sheet on top to keep it from puffing up too much in baking.
  • Bake on the center rack for 18 minutes, then remove the top sheet and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Repeat with remaining sheets of puff pastry until you have 3 squares.

Assembly

  • Once you are ready to assemble, prepare the glaze in a medium mixing bowl. You'll only want to add enough milk to get it to a thick, oozy consistency. You don't want it to be so thin that it drips right off. So be careful, add the milk 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir thoroughly between each addition. I only needed about 2 Tablespoons for the consistency I got, but it could vary for you.
  • Place the chocolate chips in a zip top bag and place that in a microwavable bowl.
  • Microwave on medium heat for 30 second intervals, squeezing the contents in between each to help it melt more evenly.
  • Lay out a piece of puff pastry and spread over it half the Nutella pastry cream.
  • Place another sheet of puff pastry on top and repeat with the remaining pastry cream.
  • Place the remaining sheet of puff pastry on the top and spread the glaze over that.
  • Snip the corner off the zip top bag with the chocolate creating a very small hole. Pipe lines of chocolate about an inch or two apart.
  • Using a toothpick, drag lines perpendicular to the chocolate every inch or so, alternating directions.
  • Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Trim the edges before cutting to serve. Make sure you're using a very sharp knife, as this quickly gets messy.

Notes

I chose not to roll out the puff pastry dough as I've had bad luck in the past with it not being as flaky. If you would prefer, though, you can use one box of puff pastry for this recipe. Roll out the sheets so you get 3 10"x10" squares to use for your mille feuille layers.