Mille Feuille with Roast White Chocolate & Strawberries

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 130°C/110°C fan/260°F/Gas Mark 1 and begin by making the ganache.
2. 2. Add the white chocolate to a baking tray. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
3. 3. Scrape up the white chocolate with a spatula, agitating it slightly then transfer back into the oven and roast for a further 10 minutes, before scraping up again and transferring back into the oven. Repeat this 6-7 times until the chocolate turns a caramel colour , is smooth and pours nicely into a separate bowl - this should take about 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes, depending on what chocolate you are using.
4. 4. Add the double cream into a saucepan over a medium high heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn the heat off, add the caramelised white chocolate, a pinch of salt and gently stir until the mixture is fully combined and smooth. Place into a clean bowl and leave to cool completely.
5. 5. Turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/ Gas Mark 7.
6. 6. Lay out the puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface and using a pizza cutter, cut 2.4 x 4.5 inch rectangles (though you do not have to be this specific - the aim is 12 rectangles of the same size from the 2 sheets of pastry).
7. 7. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper then place the rectangles about 2 inches apart, dividing them between the trays. Dust each rectangle with some icing sugar then place another sheet of parchment on top. Cover each tray with another baking tray - this prevents the pastry from rising too much.
8. 8. Transfer to the oven to bake for about 25 minutes, checking after 15, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
9. 9. Mix the strawberries together with the lemon juice and icing sugar and place 150g of them aside.
10. 10. Place the remaining 100g into a small saucepan with the tablespoon of caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.
11. 11. Cook over a medium heat until the sugar has melted and the mixture is slightly thickened - this should take about 5 minutes then strain the liquid into a bowl and set aside to cool.
12. 12. Place the double cream, mascarpone, icing sugar, salt and vanilla bean paste into a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
13. 13. When the roasted chocolate ganache is cool, whisk until soft peaks form.
14. 14. Place the whipped cream and the roasted white chocolate ganache into separate piping bags.
15. 15. To assemble, place one layer of puff pastry on a platter. Pipe dots of the roasted white chocolate ganache all over the pastry, followed by dots of the whipped cream and finish with the sliced fresh strawberries. Top with another pastry rectangle and repeat the process one more time. Add a third and final pastry rectangle, add a few dots of the ganache and then add a few fresh strawberries, the cooled strawberry syrup and finish with a dusting of icing sugar and some mint leaves.

• Desserts & Baking
• Mille Feuille
• french pastry

Ingredients

• US
• METRIC