the strawberry millefeuilles

by Sharon Santoni
 [blank]It is Strawberry season here in France.  The sweetest for now coming from the Perigord in the centre of France, and in a few weeks time the Normandy production bringing up the rear .
When you love strawberries as much as this family does, it’s good to find different ways to eat them.  Most often that is just in a bowl with a little sugar.  Sometimes though the occasion calls for something a little more spectacular – and that is the time to produce a strawberry mille feuilles.  The combination of caramelised puff pastry, fragrant crème patissière and fresh strawberries is just divine.[blank]
To make enough for four people you will need:
[blank]200g or 6 oz of fresh strawberries
100g or 3 oz of good quality puff pastry
20cl of milk
5 tablespoons of sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon flour
a little amaretto liqueur to flavour the cream (optional)[blank]
[blank]How you prefer your pastry depends on how you wish to present the dessert.   In my humble experience, slicing a large mille feuilles to serve is practically suicidal.  As you press down to cut through the pastry layers, you find cream and fruit squirting out the sides, it’s a mess!
I prefer to prepare individual mille feuilles, that I am sure will arrive in each plate looking impeccable.  (The quantity of pastry in the recipe is for this individual serving manner.)
For this, I roll out the pastry and cut into strips measuring approx 6″ x 1″.  I sprinkle sugar over each strip, pressing it lightly into the pastry, then bake in a hot oven for about 15 mins.  As the pastry rises, the sugar caramelises.  Yum![blank]
[blank]Meanwhile  I prepare the crème patissière for the filling.  In a deep bowl beat together the egg yolks, sugar and flour.   Boil the milk in a pan, and add to the egg mix.    Return to the heat in the pan and stir continually until thickened.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
If you wish to obtain a creamier, or amaretto perfumed version of this cream, then use a little more flour.   Once the cream is cool and firm, add some beaten fresh cream and a little amaretto.  Believe me, this is a decision you will not regret!
Now you simply need to cut the strawberries in to slices and toss in a little sugar.
Assemble your mille feuilles by layering pastry, cream and fruit in whichever order makes you happy.
As usual, serve with a smile and a bow to your ever-growing number of fans.  Sometimes it’s easy to make everyone happy![blank]
Bon appetit![blank]
photos thanks to aufeminin and google images

22 comments

Sandy at You May Be Wandering May 29, 2013 - 5:04 pm

This looks delicious!!! Thanks for sharing!

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Catherine May 29, 2013 - 5:22 pm

Yes! It does look delicious and BEAUTIFUL! Being an American I am totally mystified by the measurements. 😉 The most confusing term is a soup spoon full.

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Elena May 29, 2013 - 5:37 pm

This looks so delicious and wishing I had some to go with my coffee this morning. I will most definitely try to make this, thanks for sharing this wonderful idea!

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Jennifer May 29, 2013 - 5:42 pm

I want this, right now!

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Amanda May 29, 2013 - 5:53 pm

Your blog always makes me smile…but especially today as you showcase one of the true delights of summer! We celebrated my June wedding with a millefoglie cake in Italy, and strawberries are my FAVORITE seasonal item. So, this was quite a nice surprise today. Thank you for sharing and for putting some loveliness out into the blogosphere!

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Roxane May 29, 2013 - 6:50 pm

Oh yes! This will be a big hit in our family when the strawberries are ripe!
Due to the seemingly endless days of rain we've been experiencing, the strawberries are behind schedule here in New England. They usually are ready starting in June, but now won't be ready for a few weeks at least. Yum 😀

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Ann May 29, 2013 - 7:12 pm

Oh my
I'll break my diet for that…
looks so yummy.

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Maywyn Studio May 29, 2013 - 7:20 pm

Thank you for the recipe
June is strawberry season here in Vermont. I'm going to give your recipe a try.
A favorite at my house is almost frozen strawberries in the blender with a tiny bit of sugar, milk or water to make a smoothie.

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peggy braswell May 29, 2013 - 7:43 pm

yummy, strawberries are big in S. CA right now. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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Curtains in My Tree May 29, 2013 - 9:03 pm

OH MYgosh that looks good

I love strawberries also

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The Blue Farmhouse May 29, 2013 - 9:42 pm

Do I need a fork? Or can I just use my hands…cause it looks like it would just melt in your mouth!

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Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon May 29, 2013 - 10:04 pm

I am acquiring some really delicious recipes just by reading your blog. This is just a gorgeous dessert for family for a party.

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Anonymous May 30, 2013 - 12:57 am

Ignorant and snooty!

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Adriana Iris B May 30, 2013 - 1:15 am

you are killing me. that is like heaven.

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Botanic Bleu May 30, 2013 - 4:43 am

Normandy strawberries…! In the 80s my sister and I visited Rouen in June and bought fresh strawberries at a market. They were the sweetest strawberries we had ever had.

I'm saving this recipe.

Judith

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Colleen Taylor May 30, 2013 - 6:28 am

A must do & a must save recipe to savour Sharon! Not only a beautiful dessert but I'm sure scrumptious to say the least. XO

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Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon May 30, 2013 - 9:09 am

I'm back. I just wanted you to know that your mille feuilles are on the first page of google – mille feuilles.

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Jill Sunday May 30, 2013 - 5:12 pm

I don't know whether I like more the thought of this lovely dessert or that of rain on flowers against the turquoise door.

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Emm May 30, 2013 - 5:25 pm

Gorgeous, and melt in the mouth. Just before I read this, came across a recipe proposing strawberries with crème fraiche, which everyone knows, but dashed with cracked black pepper. Hadn't come across that before and it sounds interesting.

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Anonymous May 30, 2013 - 10:04 pm

The closest equivalent would be a tablespoon.

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Anonymous May 31, 2013 - 1:21 am

25cl milk = 1 cup

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Castles Crowns and Cottages May 31, 2013 - 6:21 pm

Bonjour! SO nice to find you via Sandy at "You May be Wandering!" I also find your blog name popping up several places, so I decided I must come see you! Your blog is fabuleux, et parlez-vous français? Bonne journée! Anita

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