The second lesson of the pastry class I attended was all dedicated to making puff pastry and related cakes. We also learnt to make sponge-cake, so we could "build" a delicious Diplomatica (a typical Italian cake made with layers of puff pastry and sponge-cake filled with chantilly cream) and a rolled dough filled with chocolate cream. I did my homework trying to repeat the magic of my teacher Gabriella, who taught us the technique to make a perfect puff pastry. With that I wanted to create a Millefoglie with soft fruit cream as seen in a dessert book. My attempt turned to be a great success, but not without "technical hitches". Indeed, I had some already prepared deep-freezed puff pastry ready to be used in case of need...What happened is that the butter was too warm due to the hot weather and began to come out of the dough, so that it was impossible to work it anymore. I was about to declare my failure when I remembered Gabriella told us we could put the dough in the freezer and finish to work it another time in case we had some other commitment. That's what I did, and the day after everything was so much easier thanks to the defrosted but still cold dough. This was another important lesson...never give up! And when in trouble, don't panic, instead, if time allows, "freeze" the problem, don't think about it for a while, and face it after a good night sleep or some other distraction...you'll be surprised how the solution will easily come! Making my first Millefoglie was a great life experience...This is the recipe, enjoy it!
Millefoglie with soft fruit cream
(The recipe is taken from the book Dessert - McRae Books, Italian edition 2008 by briolibri- makes 6-8 portions)
To make the puff pastry:
250 g white flour type "00"
250 g butter at room temperature
100 g cold water
5 g salt
icing sugar
To make the cream:
150 g fresh raspberries
150 g fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
250 g mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons sugared whipped cream
Make a soft dough with 200 g flour, 5 g salt and 100 g water. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes. With the remaining 50 g flour and 250 g butter make a pat. After 20 minutes, on a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 cm, place the butter pat on the dough and wrap the ends of the dough to enclose the butter pat in an envelope. Roll out the dough envelope in the shape of a rectangle and fold in thirds like a business letter. Roll again in the opposite direction and fold in thirds again. Refrigerate 45 minutes and repeat the process twice for a total of six foldings. After the sixth folding, the dough is refrigerated once more and then it will be ready for use. Just roll it and cut it into many little squares (more or less 10 cm x 10 cm). Cook it in the preheated oven at 200 C until golden and raised (10-15 minutes). Let the puff pastry cool a little and sprinkle with icing sugar. Make the cream by blending the strawberries and raspberries in a bowl. Add vinegar and sugar, mix well and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Work the mascarpone and the whipped cream in another bowl with a whisk, then mix with the fruits. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Assemble the cake at least 1 hour before serving. Put three layers of puff pastry filled with two layers of cream. Sprinkle with additional icing sugar and decorate as desired.
250 g white flour type "00"
250 g butter at room temperature
100 g cold water
5 g salt
icing sugar
To make the cream:
150 g fresh raspberries
150 g fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
250 g mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons sugared whipped cream
Make a soft dough with 200 g flour, 5 g salt and 100 g water. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes. With the remaining 50 g flour and 250 g butter make a pat. After 20 minutes, on a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 cm, place the butter pat on the dough and wrap the ends of the dough to enclose the butter pat in an envelope. Roll out the dough envelope in the shape of a rectangle and fold in thirds like a business letter. Roll again in the opposite direction and fold in thirds again. Refrigerate 45 minutes and repeat the process twice for a total of six foldings. After the sixth folding, the dough is refrigerated once more and then it will be ready for use. Just roll it and cut it into many little squares (more or less 10 cm x 10 cm). Cook it in the preheated oven at 200 C until golden and raised (10-15 minutes). Let the puff pastry cool a little and sprinkle with icing sugar. Make the cream by blending the strawberries and raspberries in a bowl. Add vinegar and sugar, mix well and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Work the mascarpone and the whipped cream in another bowl with a whisk, then mix with the fruits. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Assemble the cake at least 1 hour before serving. Put three layers of puff pastry filled with two layers of cream. Sprinkle with additional icing sugar and decorate as desired.
