You may already be thinking about your future Christmas dessert (yes, time flies without us noticing: the adverts are flooding us with toys, the Christmas decorations are up in town and patiently waiting to be switched on, and the toy aisle has grown at the supermarket). As I’m still thinking about it, I’ve decided to offer you a completely different dessert tonight: a vanilla and tonka bean millefeuille.
This Christophe Michalak-style millefeuille recipe (because of its balancing-act position) dates back a little. I’d planned to publish it last year and then my hard drive gave up the ghost and you know the rest… I reworked the photos which, even if they aren’t exceptional, I must admit (since I shot them in the evening with artificial lighting), will make you want to try it, I hope. I made life considerably easier for myself by buying ready-made puff pastry, but you can frankly show off in front of your friends if you make it at home 😀
If you decide, like me, to buy shop-bought puff pastry, this recipe immediately becomes very simple to make (yes, really!): you just need to make a pastry cream and a chantilly cream, two basics of French pâtisserie. If you’re not comfortable with these 2 preparations, take the time to read the recipe steps and the tips carefully 🙂
Please note: as this recipe was made last year and I’m widely known for having the memory of a goldfish, I’m not entirely sure of the proportions I’ve indicated :/ I’ve written it for 6 people. If you make this recipe, don’t hesitate to leave me a little comment to tell me whether the proportions are right (or not).
Ingredients & method
4 components · Full recipe
Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 50 g (1.8 oz) sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 25 g (0.9 oz) cornflour
- 25 g (0.9 oz) butter
Method
1
Split and scrape the vanilla pod. Bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod and seeds.
2
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then add the cornflour.
3
Remove the vanilla pod, then pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
4
Return to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously, until the cream thickens and comes away from the sides.
5
Off the heat, add the butter and mix until incorporated.
6
Transfer to a clean bowl, press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
7
Once chilled, whisk the pastry cream vigorously to loosen it and restore its smooth, creamy texture before using.
8
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and refrigerate until assembly.
Vanilla Tonka Chantilly
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) whipping cream
- 1 tonka bean
- 30 g (1.1 oz) icing sugar
Method
1
Make sure the cream is very cold. Pour it into a chilled bowl.
2
Begin whipping the cream, then add the icing sugar and finely grate in the tonka bean (start with a small amount and adjust to taste — a little goes a long way).
3
Continue whipping until the cream holds firm, clean peaks.
4
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star or saint-honoré nozzle and refrigerate until assembly.
5
The tonka flavour will intensify slightly as the cream rests — taste it before assembly and adjust if needed.
Puff Pastry Baking
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
- Icing sugar for caramelising
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2
Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into 3 equal rectangles (or use a round cutter for individual portions).
3
Place the pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment on top, then lay a second baking sheet on top to weight it down — this prevents the pastry from puffing up unevenly.
4
Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment for the last 5 minutes.
5
Dust generously with icing sugar and return to the oven under the grill, or use a kitchen blowtorch, to caramelise. Watch carefully — it goes from golden to burnt very quickly. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Assembly
Ingredients
- None
Method
1
Place the first rectangle of caramelised puff pastry on your serving board.
2
Pipe generous dots of pastry cream over the surface, covering it evenly.
3
Place the second pastry layer on top and pipe the tonka chantilly in rosettes or waves — this is the Michalak touch: an imperfect, generous topping rather than a neat, smooth finish.
4
Place the final pastry layer on top. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for no more than 30 minutes before serving so the pastry stays crisp.
5
For a more elegant finish, top with a few berries, gold leaf or a light caramel drizzle — entirely optional but very pretty!
Gallery
