Crispy, caramelized puff pastry layers, tangy lemon curd, fresh raspberries and a lavender glaze that doesn’t taste like soap. All these ingredients combined in a fast, but fancy dessert, a mille feuille.

First let’s talk about the story behind this recipe. We decided with Chilli to try out a baking challenge. You know, like in the tv shows, when you get some ingredients and techniques that you have to use in your recipe. We decided to give each other 3 ingredients and two techniques. We had one week to create the recipe and make the dessert.

I gave Chilly nectarines, basil, almonds and she had to make a praline and use some kind of French pastry method. She did an amazing job, but her creations didn’t like the hot weather, so after moving them from their hozse to ours, they weren’t photographable (is this a real word?). She baked not one but two things. First an ecler with a nectarine cream filling and a basil glaze. Then a tart with basil cream filling, (I know it sounds weird but it was delicious) nectarines, and almond praline. Both of her desserts were soooo yummy.

And now let’s talk about what I made. I got lemon-lime cream, lavender, brown sugar and I had to cook something and have at least 4 layers in my dessert. I planned a mille feuille with a lemon-lime curd but I couldn’t find lime in the stores. I went to 7 different ones but none had lime!! So I decided to use some of the fresh raspberries from our garden.

First I used the brown sugar to sprinkle on top of the puff pastry. It caramelized in the oven and created an even crispier texture.

I made my good old lemon curd that I used in my lemon meringue pie. It’s simple but delicious. So, for the filling I spreaded some curd between the pastry layers and added some raspberries.

I made a lavender glaze for drizzling. I was really nervous about lavender. I love it, but not in every form. I mean sometimes it really tastes like soap, so I didn’t want ot use a lot. But guys this glaze was delicious!! Sweet with a hint of lavender flavour. I just warmed up some milk with fresh lavender (but dry would be perfect too) and let it cool down and sit for 30 minutes. Then I added a few tablespoons to powdered sugar and done! I also added some purple food colouring but it’s optional.

All the flavours turned out balanced and they gave a perfect summery, refreshing treat. As I mentioned in my other mille feuille recipe, this is a simple dessert but looks stunning and everybody will think that it’s really complicated. So give this a try and send me a photo or tag me if you make it.

Raspberry Lemon Lavender Mille Feuille

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Prep Time: 20 min. Baking Time: 20 min. Total Time: 1 hour Portions: for 4 person

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Ingredients:

Lemon Curd

• 4 medium lemons (zest and juice)

• ½ cup or 100g granulated sugar

• 1 whole egg and 3 egg yolks (keep the egg whites for later)

• 6 tablespoons or 85g butter (cubed)

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon water

Pastry:

• 250g puff pastry

• 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar

Lavender glaze:

• 1 tablespoons lavender

• 1/3 cup milk

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

• purple food colouring (optional)

• 3-4 cups raspberries (around 80 berries)

Directions:

Lemon curd:

1. Put the lemon juice, zest, sugar in a metal or glass bowl. Start cooking it on a bain-marine. ( Fill a pot with water and start boiling it. Then put the metal or glass bowl on top of the pot. Be careful and make sure that the bottom of the bowl isn’t in the water and the bowl is big enough. When you stir the curd use a kitchen cloth to hold the bowl because it can be hot.)

2. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the cold butter.

3. When all the butter is melted, take it off from the stove and add the egg and the yolks while you stir it with a whisk or a spoon. (Make sure you stir so the yolks don't cook. Nobody wants crumbled eggs in their curd )

4. In a small bowl mix the flour and water together, then add it to the curd.

5. Put it back to the stove and stir continuously until it’s cooked and thickened.

6. If your curd has some cooked egg pieces pass it through a sive with a spatula.

7. Let it cool down a little bit. Cover it with some plastic wrap and put it in the frifge until completely cold.

Puff Pastry:

1. Preheat your oven to 390F or 200C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Roll out your puff pastry into a 12x10 inch or 30x24 cm rectangle. Sprinkle it evenly with the brown sugar. Cover it with parchment paper and put another baking sheet on top of it.

3. Bake for 15 minutes covered then turn up the heat to 395F or 210C and bake for 5 minutes uncovered or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Let it cool down.

Lavender galze:

1. Put your milk and lavender into a pot. On a medium heat, warm up the milk until it starts boiling. Take it off from the heat and let it cool down completely.

2. In a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar with 1 and ½ teaspoon lavender milk. Add some food colouring. If your glaze is too runny then add more powdered sugar and if it’s too thick, add some more milk.

Assembling:

1. Cut your puff pastry into 12 2x5 inch or 5x12 cm rectangles.

2. Put one off your rectangles onto a serving plate. Spread a layer of lemon curd and layer on top a few raspberries (I used 10 per a layer). Then cover it with a pastry rectangle and repeat it again. Drizzle the lavender glaze on the top. Every dessert has 3 layers of pastry and two layers of lemon curd and raspberries. Serve it immediately.

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#easy #Pastry #lemon #curd #raspberry #lavender