Strawberry Chocolate Mille Feuille
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
- 1.5 sheets butter puff pastry
- 1 egg, whisked
- 6 tablespoons coffee sugar
- 3 tablespoons flaked almonds
- 3 teaspoons gelatine
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1.5 cups cream
- 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 1/4 cup strawberry puree
- A few drops strawberry essence
- 250g/8.8ozs punnet fresh strawberries
- 3 macarons
- Icing sugar to dust
Step 1 - Firstly bake the puff pastry. Preheat oven to 220C/440F and line two trays with parchment. Cut into even sized rectangles and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet an inch apart. I used a ravioli cutter to make a pattern on the edge but you can also leave it plain. Brush with egg wash and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 2 - Brush with a bit more egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar on all three layers. On one layer add the almonds. Bake for another 5-8 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Step 3 - Sprinkle the gelatine on the water and heat until liquid and clearish. allow to cool for 5 minutes. Whip the cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form and then add the gelatine mixture. Divide into two bowls and mix one with the sifted cocoa and the other with the strawberry puree.
Step 4 - Place each in a separate piping bag fitted with a 867 piping tip or a plain tip. Do a practice pipe on a plate and if the pattern holds, it is ready to pipe, otherwise pop the piping bags in the fridge for 5 minutes at a time to firm up.
Step 5 - Pipe chocolate cream on one sugar covered base. Then pipe strawberry cream on the other sugar covered base. Pipe some of both on the almond covered one in the centre. Place in the fridge to set for 5-10 minutes.
Step 6 - Slice six or seven of the strawberries (depending on size) into thin slices and place on top of chocolate and strawberry layer. Place the chocolate layer on a serving plate, then place the strawberry one and then the almond layer on top. Top the almond layer with halved and whole strawberries and sprinkle with icing sugar.