Raspberry Mille-Feuille

Ingredients

• 250g strong plain flour​

• 250g butter​

• ½ tsp salt​

• 1 egg to glaze​

• 25 g (1oz) plain flour​

• 375 ml whole milk​

• 4 medium egg yolks​

• 75 g caster sugar​

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Punnet of raspberries

Method

1. Add 250g strong plain flour and 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl. Roughly break 250g butter into small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.​

2. Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of 150ml cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed.​

3. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 10 mins in the fridge. 

4. Flour work surface and dough. 

5. ​Roll into a rectangle, then fold over into thirds - a book fold. 

6. Turn 90 degrees then repeat this process 3 times. 

7. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Cut the pastry in half into two equal rectangles. Lightly dust a worktop with flour and roll each piece of pastry into a 24cm x 11.5cm (9½in x 4½in) rectangle. ​

8. Transfer pastry to a baking sheet and bake for 20-25min until golden and well risen. Cool completely on a wire rack.​

9. Meanwhile, make the vanilla filling. Heat the milk in a pan until nearly boiling, then take off the heat. ​

10. Put the yolks, sugar and flour into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk onto the mixture, stirring constantly. ​

11. Rinse the pan, then return milk mixture to it. Put the pan back over the heat. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3-5min. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Lay clingfilm over the surface of the filling to prevent a skin forming, then set aside to cool completely.​

12. Put the cooked pastry rectangles on a board and slice each in half horizontally. Choose the neatest three layers to use for the dessert.​

13. To assemble the millefeuille, put two of the pastry layers side by side on the board, cut-side up. Pipe or spoon half the vanilla filling over each. Next, top each with half the raspberries. Transfer one layer to a serving plate, then carefully stack the other on top of it. Top with the unfilled pastry, laid cut-side down. Dust with icing sugar and serve.​