Butterfly Shaped Mille Feuille
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry sheets
Pastry cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Preparation
Pastry cream
In a medium pot, simmer milk, vanilla bean, and half of the granulated sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch and remaining sugar, then whisk in egg yolks.
Gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the pot and whisk well. Cook over medium-low heat until it boils (3-5 minutes), stirring constantly.
Strain the mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully chilled.
Whip heavy cream in a stand mixer to medium peaks. Fold it into the cooled pastry cream and transfer to a pastry bag.
Puff pastry shaping
Unroll the pastry dough and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
Roll the dough to incorporate the sugar within the layers.
Cut the rolled puff pastry dough into 6 equal pieces.
Take one piece holding the folded side up (and the solid side down), make a cut into the pastry as though you are going to divide it into two separate palmiers, but only cut 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through the pastry.
Open up the ‘wings’ that you just made with that cut and place, wing-side-down, on a baking sheet.
Spread out both pairs of wings, arranging them to be as symmetrical as you can. If needed, snip a little farther in on one of the sides to even them up.
Brush the butterflies with egg wash.
Bake according to package instructions until golden and crisp.
Assembly
Take one butterfly-shaped pastry, pipe pastry cream onto it, and cover with another butterfly-shaped pastry.
Notes
This is a themed variation of mille feuille, inspired by a butterfly shape for decorative purposes.
