Mille-feuille

Method

Make détrempe by mixing 250g flour, 125ml cold water and 5g salt until shaggy, then knead briefly until smooth; rest 30 minutes wrapped. Laminate: wrap 200g cold butter between two flour-dusted cling film sheets, flatten to 15cm square, then place détrempe on top and fold corners over butter to seal. Roll to 60x20cm, fold in thirds (single turn), chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding 5 more times, chilling 30 minutes between each turn, rotating 90 degrees. After final turn, rest dough 1 hour, then roll to 3mm thickness and cut into 3 rectangles 25x10cm. Place on parchment-lined baking tray, prick with fork, chill 20 minutes. Bake at 200C (fan 180C) for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp; cool completely. Make pastry cream by whisking 4 egg yolks with 50g caster sugar until pale, fold in 30g cornflour, heat 250ml milk to steaming and slowly whisk into yolks, return to pan and cook 2 minutes stirring constantly, add 5ml vanilla, cool to room temperature then beat in 100g softened butter. Spread pastry cream between layers, then glaze top rectangle by mixing 150g icing sugar with 30ml water to consistency of thick paint, spread evenly and set 20 minutes. Trim edges with serrated knife and cut into 8 portions with hot wet knife.