Mille-feuille, also called Napoleon, is a classic French pastry built from crisp puff pastry and silky pastry cream. Its neat layers make it feel special, but the components are straightforward to prepare.
Bake the pastry until deeply golden, cook a smooth vanilla cream, and assemble only after both are cool. A thin fondant glaze and chocolate feathering give the finished pastry its signature look.
Cool the pastry cream completely before assembling and use a serrated knife for clean slices through the crisp layers.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled with coffee or tea. Trim the edges before slicing for a polished finish, and dust the plate with a little powdered sugar if desired.
Recipe Notes
Assembled mille-feuille is best the day it is made, but the pastry cream keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Bake the pastry sheets a day ahead and store them airtight.
Classic French Mille-Feuille
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pastry and Glaze
- 1 lb all-butter puff pastry thawed
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tbsp water plus more if needed
- 1 oz dark chocolate melted
Instructions
Bake the Pastry:
- Heat the oven to 400 F. Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, place it on parchment, prick it all over, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Cover with a second sheet of parchment and another baking sheet to keep it flat. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the top sheet, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until deeply golden. Cool completely.
- Cut the pastry into three equal rectangles with a serrated knife.
Make the Pastry Cream:
- Warm the milk in a saucepan until steaming. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, return it to the saucepan, and cook over medium heat while whisking until thick and bubbling.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold.
Assemble and Glaze:
- Place one pastry rectangle on a board and spread with half of the pastry cream. Add a second pastry rectangle and the remaining cream, then finish with the third rectangle.
- Stir the powdered sugar with the water to make a thick glaze. Spread it over the top pastry layer.
- Pipe thin lines of melted chocolate across the glaze and drag a toothpick through them to create a feathered pattern. Chill for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Bake the pastry until fully golden so it stays crisp after assembly.
- A chilled pastry cream makes stacking much easier.
- Use a hot, dry knife and wipe it between cuts for cleaner slices.