Mille-Feuille

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 500 g flour
• 550 g butter
• 2 pinches of sugar
• 10 g salt
• 250 ml water, cold
• 195 g sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla sugar
• 3 tbsp, heaped cornstarch
• 750 ml milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 375 g powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

Working time approx. 2 hours; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 day 2 hours 50 minutes

The day before, combine flour, 50g butter, sugar, salt, and water to form a dough. Knead for 7 minutes until it no longer sticks. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator. Wrap 500g butter in baking paper, roll it out into a 20 x 40cm rectangle, and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a star shape, leaving the middle part slightly thicker. Place the butter in the middle and fold the four sides over it. Carefully roll the dough out into a rectangle, then fold it into circles, roll it out again into a rectangle, and fold it into circles again. Then put the dough back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and chilling process two more times. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/convection oven. Roll out the puff pastry again into a rectangle measuring approximately 30 x 90cm, place it on a baking tray, and poke holes in it. To prevent the puff pastry from rising too high, line the dough with baking paper and weigh it down with a second baking tray. Bake the puff pastry for 30 minutes (convection oven, slightly longer with top/bottom heat), then let it cool. For the frosting, combine the sugar, vanilla sugar, and cornstarch. Whisk the mixture with a splash of cold milk. Bring the remaining milk to a boil and, stirring constantly, stir the sugar, starch, and milk mixture into the hot milk. Quickly mix in the egg yolks. Continue stirring until a thick pudding forms. Set this aside and cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. Cut the baked puff pastry into 3 equal pieces. Spread half of the frosting on the first layer of pastry and place the second layer on top. Now spread the remaining frosting and place the last layer on top. For the glaze, beat the egg whites, icing sugar, and salt together over a pan of simmering water. Beat vigorously until a pale white, glossy mixture forms. Spread the frosting on the surface of the pastry and allow it to dry slightly. Mix the cocoa powder with the milk and pour into a small straw. Cut off the tip and spread the cocoa powder over the egg white glaze. Use a wooden skewer to create a pattern. Chill the mille-feuille overnight, or at least 6 hours. The longer it sits, the better the mille-feuille will be.