Ingredients
- 2 pints raspberries
- 1 package frozen puff pastry
- 1 cup whole milk, cold
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 5 each, approximately 1/3 cup, egg yolks
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 6 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3 1/3 cups whipping cream
- Powdered sugar to garnish
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE PASTRY CREAM
1. In a medium mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch and egg yolks in the cold milk to make a slurry, whisk until smooth.
2. Prepare an ice bath – fill a large mixing bowl with ice and cold water.
3. In a small saucepot over medium-high heat, combine the second milk, butter and sugar. Split the vanilla bean and scrape seeds into the pot, bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the cornstarch mix into the pot in a steady stream, and return to full a boil for 3 minutes. Taste to check if cornstarch is cooked.
4. Cool over the ice bath.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, whip cream until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into the cooled pastry custard cream until smooth. Keep cold in refrigerator.
FOR THE PUFF PASTRY
1. Defrost the puff pastry.
2. Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll puff pastry to about 1/8" thickness. Place a silicon baking mat on a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Place the puff pastry on the baking sheet and use a fork to dock or prick holes in the pastry. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.
3. Sprinkle about 4 tablespoons of sugar over each sheet of dough. Cover with another silicone baking mat or piece of parchment paper, then place another baking sheet on top to weigh the dough down while baking. Bake until dough is caramelized and fully baked through, about 30 - 40 minutes. Let cool.
TO ASSEMBLE
1. Break puff pastry into pieces approximately 4” x 4” (18 pieces total) Lay one piece of puff pastry on a plate. Spoon some pastry cream onto the puff pastry, then place another layer of puff pastry, and another layer of pastry cream, finishing with a layer of puff pastry.
2. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to garnish and serve with desired seasonal fruit. Raspberries and apricots preferred for this time of year.