Strawberry Mille-Feuille (Napoleon) 草莓拿破崙

The summer season in Southern California never seems to end.  I was planning to share some Fall recipes with you but my palates and tummy (and my heart, too) are telling me to go with strawberries instead of pumpkin spices!  Plus, my kids don’t seem to appreciate pumpkin spices just yet.  So, I guess I’ll hold off to those Fall recipes until we really get some cooler temperatures.  Today, I want to share with you our family’s latest favorite, Strawberry Mille-Feuille! 



Mille-Feuille (also known as Napoleon) is a French pastry made up of layers of puff pastry, alternating with pastry cream or whipped cream.  The traditional version usually consists of three layers of pastry.  But as you can see, my Strawberry Mille-Feuille was already sky high with just two layers!  Maybe it’s due to the extra fluffy strawberry cream and fresh strawberry slices that I put in between the layers?  Who cares, all I know is that it tastes awesome! 



The puff pastry is crispy and flaky,  packed with buttery aroma.  The strawberry cream is silky, creamy and fluffy.  I added some mascarpone cheese into the cream to add some body and richness.  The cream is only slightly sweetened and compliments the sweet and tart strawberry slices beautifully.  This Strawberry Mille-Feuille is so refreshing and yet, very decadent.




Check out my step-by-step video tutorial below to see how to make it.






I hope you enjoyed watching my video tutorial.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my YouTube channel here.  You’ll be the first to know when I have new video tutorials published.
Until next time, please stay tuned for more easy recipes and fun giveaways.



 
 
 
Ingredients and props used:

Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat (click here for more information)
Calphalon Baking Sheet Pans (Click here for more information)
Mikasa Something Borrowed Salad/Desert Plates (Click here for more information)
Pastry Bags (Click here to see similar product)
Large Round Piping Tip (Click her for more information)
Flower Shaped Cookie Cutter (Click here for more information)
Puff Pastry (Click here for more information)
Mascarpone Cheese (Click here for more information)
Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)
 


Strawberry Mille-Feuille (Napoleon) 草莓拿破崙
makes 6
1 sheet puff pastry
1 tablespoon flour (for rolling the pastry)
1 pound strawberries
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 400F degree. Line a baking pan with silpat or parchment paper, set a side.
Slightly dust a clean surface and the rolling pin with flour. Unwrap the puff pastry and roll it to 1/8-inch thick.

Stamp puff pastry with a cookie cutter, I used an 3-inch flower shape cutter. You should get 12 pieces in total from 1 sheet of pastry. Place cut out dough in the prepared baking pan, an inch apart from each other. Bake until slightly golden brown and crispy, around 10 minutes. Let pastry cool completely on wiring rack before assembling.

While puff pastries are baking, prepare the fillings. Wash and dry the strawberries. Reserve 2 of them and cut into quarters (for garnish on top). Hulled and sliced the rest. Puree half of the strawberry slices in the food processor/blender. Place a small fine mesh on top of a bowl and pass the strawberry puree through. Discard the seeds.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until frothy. Then add the mascarpone cheese until medium peak forms. With the mixer on low, add the strawberry puree until fully incorporated and stiff peak forms. Transfer strawberry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.

To assemble, place a piece of the cooled puff pastry on the serving plate. Gently squeeze the strawberry cream in the pastry bag on top of the pastry to add dollops of cream on top. Place an even layer of strawberry slices on top of the cream. Add a dollop of cream on top of the strawberry slices and top with another puff pastry. Dust the top with some powdered sugar, add a dollop of strawberry cream in the middle and garnish with a quarter of strawberry. Enjoy!