Vanilla caramel Mille feuille

Featured tools:

Stand mixer

Mix, knead, whisk

Decorating nozzle tips

For pipping bag

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1. Vanilla ganache

   • 400 g double cream (35% fat)
   • 180 g white chocolate
   • 5 g vanilla
   • 1.5 g gelatine

   • Start by soaking the gelatine in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
   • Meanwhile, place 200 g of double cream and the vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
   • Then, remove from the heat and add the soaked gelatine.
   • Next, pour the cream over the white chocolate, which we have previously melted, and mix to combine.
   • Then, add the remaining cold cream and emulsify the mixture with a hand whisk.
   • Finally, cover with cling film in contact and refrigerate until use, for a minimum of 4 hours.

2. Caramel

   • 110 g double cream (35% fat)
   • 100 g vanilla sugar or white sugar
   • 40 g butter
   • 15 g blonde or white chocolate
   • 3 g salt

   • In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Set aside.
   • Then, in a frying pan or saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat until it turns into amber-coloured caramel.
   • Next, slowly add the cream, whisking it into the caramel.
   • Then, cook for about 3 minutes and turn off the heat.
   • Now, add the butter, chocolate and salt, and mix to combine.
   • Finally, transfer the caramel to a bowl or jug, emulsify it with a hand whisk and leave it to cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours.

3. Puff pastry

   • 250 g butter
   • 125 g strong white flour
   • 125 g plain flour
   • 90 g cold water
   • 25 g icing sugar
   • 4 g salt

   • In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the cold diced butter, flours, sugar and salt on low speed for no more than 1 minute.
   • Once the ingredients begin to come together, add the cold water and mix just enough for it to combine.
   • It is very important that the butter does not fully blend into the dough and that visible chunks remain once all the ingredients have been mixed.
   • Wrap the dough in cling film and shape it into a rectangle of 20x13 cm.
   • Refrigerate for 1 hour.
   • After the resting time, remove the dough from the fridge, peel off the cling film and place it on a generously floured work surface.
   • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out lengthwise to form a rectangle of 45x13 cm.
   • During the lamination process, you can dust the dough, the work surface and the rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.
   • Now, fold the dough into thirds: fold one end to cover two-thirds of the dough, then fold the other end over it. This gives you a fold measuring 15x13 cm.
   • When making the folds, it’s helpful to brush off any excess flour.
   • Next, position the folds top and bottom and repeat the last two steps to continue folding and creating the desired layers. Repeat this step four times (making five folds in total).
   • During this process, the dough may become increasingly elastic and harder to stretch to the required dimensions. This is normal, as gluten is developing and giving the dough its elasticity. If this happens, let the dough rest in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, making it easier to work with.
   • Once you’ve completed all five folds, wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge until ready to use, for at least 1 hour.
   • Finally, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin to form a rectangle of 35 x 25 cm and 4 mm thick.
   • Place it between two perforated silicone mats, add weight on top and bake with top and bottom heat for 50 minutes at 180 ºC.

4. Assembly

   • 20 g icing sugar

   • Start by cutting the puff pastry sheet into 3 equal portions along the short side.
   • Remove the vanilla ganache from the fridge, whip it until stiff peaks form and transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a Saint-Honoré nozzle.
   • Place one of the pastry sheets on a plate and pipe the vanilla ganache in 3 zigzag columns, leaving about 5 mm between them.
   • Now, transfer the caramel to a piping bag fitted with a 5 mm round nozzle and pipe a strip of caramel into the gaps left between the vanilla ganache.
   • Place a second pastry sheet on top and repeat the process.
   • Finally, pipe a few strips of vanilla ganache in the centre of the third and final pastry sheet and add a bit of caramel in between.
   • Place the pastry sheet on top of the cake and dust the sides with a little icing sugar.
   • Store in the fridge until serving, and leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Discover the history of Mille-feuille.

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