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Perfect French Mille-Feuille Napoleon Recipe Easy Homemade Pastry Cream and Fondant Glaze

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A classic French layered dessert featuring flaky puff pastry, silky vanilla pastry cream, and a smooth fondant glaze, approachable for home bakers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Puff Pastry: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Pastry Cream: 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • For the Fondant Glaze: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 3 tbsp hot water
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • Optional: melted dark chocolate for decoration

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Puff Pastry: Combine flour and salt. Cut in cold butter until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add cold water until dough forms. Chill 30 minutes. Roll, fold, and chill repeatedly or thaw store-bought puff pastry.
  2. Bake the Puff Pastry Layers: Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll dough into 12×9 inch rectangle. Cut into three equal rectangles. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, prick with fork, top with parchment and sheet pan. Bake 15 minutes, remove top pan and parchment, bake 10 more minutes until golden. Cool completely.
  3. Make the Pastry Cream: Heat milk with vanilla bean until just below boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Temper eggs by slowly adding hot milk while whisking. Return to saucepan, cook over medium heat whisking until thick and bubbling (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, whisk in butter. Cover with plastic wrap pressed to surface and chill.
  4. Prepare the Fondant Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and lemon juice until smooth and glossy. Adjust consistency as needed.
  5. Assemble the Mille-Feuille: Place one puff pastry layer on tray. Spread half the pastry cream evenly. Top with second layer, spread remaining cream. Add third layer. Pour fondant glaze over top and spread gently. Optionally pipe melted chocolate lines and feather with toothpick.
  6. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate assembled dessert at least 1 hour. Slice carefully with sharp knife and serve chilled.

Notes

Ensure puff pastry is completely cooled before assembling to avoid soggy layers. Keep dessert refrigerated until serving. Warm fondant glaze gently if it thickens too much. Use a sharp serrated knife for clean slicing. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 2 days. Reheat not recommended.

Nutrition

Keywords: Mille-Feuille, Napoleon, French pastry, puff pastry, pastry cream, fondant glaze, vanilla custard, layered dessert

Find it online: https://tempotaste.com/perfect-french-mille-feuille-napoleon-recipe-easy-homemade-pastry-cream-and-fondant-glaze/